Auditory system Flashcards
What are the 3 sections of the ear?
Outer ear
Middle ear
Inner ear
Where is the ear embedded?
petrous portion of the temporal bone
What are the functions of the outer ear?
Capture sound - focus tympanic membrane
Amplify some frequencies by resonance in the canal
protect the ear from external threats
What are the functions of the middle ear?
Amplification by focusing vibrations from large surface are to smaller surface area.
Change in SA increases pressure
Uses leverage from the incustapes joint to increase force on the oval window
What is the function of the inner ear?
Hearing part is the cochlea
transduce vibrations into nervous impulses
produces a frequency and intensity of the sound
What are the 3 compartments of the cochlea?
Scala vestibuli
Scala tympani;
contain perilymph
Scala media
What is the role of the Scala media?
Membranous structure, contains endolymph (high in potassium). Here is where the hearing organ or Organ of Corti is located.
What is the Basilar membrane?
structure where the organ of Corti lies
arranged tonotopically, using same principles as a xylophone
sensitive to different frequencies at difference point along its length
