Exam 2: The Auditory and Vestibular Systems

Question 1

Auditory Cues

Answer 1

Auditory cues are sounds produced unintentionally by movements or environmental interactions that provide information about an organism’s surroundings, such as rustling leaves indicating movement.

Question 2

Auditory Signals

Answer 2

Auditory signals are sounds produced intentionally for communication, such as a bird’s song to attract a mate or an alarm call to warn others of danger.

Question 3

Echolocation

Answer 3

Echolocation is a process where an organism emits sound waves and interprets the returning echoes to navigate, detect objects, or locate prey, commonly used by bats and some marine mammals.

Question 4

Sound Diffraction

Answer 4

Sound diffraction is the bending and spreading of sound waves around obstacles or through openings, allowing sounds to be heard even when the source is not directly visible.

Question 5

Sound Waves

Answer 5

Vibrations that travel through air or another medium, perceived as sound when detected by the ear.

Question 6

Frequency

Answer 6

The number of sound wave cycles per second, determining the pitch of a sound.

Question 7

Amplitude

Answer 7

The height of a sound wave, determining the loudness of a sound.

Question 8

Timbre

Answer 8

The quality of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and loudness.

Question 9

The Outer Ear

Answer 9

The outermost part of the ear, including the pinna and auditory canal, responsible for capturing sound waves.

Question 10

The Middle Ear

Answer 10

The part of the ear containing the ossicles, which amplify and transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.

Question 11

The Inner Ear

Answer 11

The innermost part of the ear containing the cochlea and vestibular apparatus, responsible for converting sound into neural signals.

Question 12

Pinna

Answer 12

The visible part of the outer ear that helps to direct sound waves into the ear canal.

Question 13

Auditory Canal

Answer 13

A tube running from the outer ear to the eardrum, transmitting sound waves.

Question 14

Tympanic Membrane

Answer 14

A thin membrane that vibrates in response to sound waves, transmitting the sound to the ossicles.

Question 15

The Ossicles

Answer 15

Three small bones (malleus, incus, and stapes) that transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.

Question 16

The Acoustic Reflex

Answer 16

A reflex that reduces the movement of the ossicles in response to loud sounds to protect the inner ear.

Question 17

Tensor Tympani Muscle

Answer 17

A muscle that dampens sound vibrations by stiffening the malleus, reducing the amplitude of sound waves.

Question 18

The Stapedius Muscle

Answer 18

A muscle that stabilizes the stapes bone, protecting the inner ear from loud sounds.

Question 19

The Oval Window

Answer 19

A membrane-covered opening that connects the middle ear to the cochlea, transmitting sound vibrations.

Question 20

The Round Window

Answer 20

A membrane that allows pressure equalization in the cochlea, assisting in the transmission of sound.

Question 21

Cochlea

Answer 21

A spiral-shaped, fluid-filled structure in the inner ear that converts sound vibrations into neural signals.

Question 22

Organ of Corti

Answer 22

The sensory organ within the cochlea containing hair cells that transduce sound vibrations into neural impulses.

Question 23

Endolymph

Answer 23

A potassium-rich fluid in the cochlea and vestibular system essential for hearing and balance.

Question 24

Basilar Membrane

Answer 24

A membrane in the cochlea that vibrates in response to sound, triggering hair cell activation.

Question 25

Base of the Cochlea

Answer 25

The part of the cochlea near the oval window, responsible for detecting high-frequency sounds.

Question 26

Apex of the Cochlea

Answer 26

The tip of the cochlea, responsible for detecting low-frequency sounds.

Question 27

Hair Cells

Answer 27

Sensory cells in the cochlea that convert mechanical sound vibrations into electrical signals sent to the brain.

Question 28

Inner Hair Cells

Answer 28

The primary hair cells responsible for sending auditory information to the brain.

Question 29

Outer Hair Cells

Answer 29

Cells that amplify sound vibrations and enhance the sensitivity of the cochlea.

Question 30

Mechanically-Gated Ion Channels

Answer 30

Ion channels in hair cells that open in response to mechanical deformation, allowing ions to flow and generate electrical signals.

Question 31

Mechanotransduction

Answer 31

The process by which mechanical stimuli, such as sound waves, are converted into electrical signals by sensory cells.

Question 32

Conductive Hearing Loss

Answer 32

Hearing loss caused by damage to the outer or middle ear, preventing sound from reaching the inner ear.

Question 33

Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Answer 33

Hearing loss caused by damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve, preventing sound from being properly transmitted to the brain.

Question 34

A Hearing Aid

Answer 34

A device that amplifies sound to assist individuals with hearing loss in hearing more clearly.

Question 35

A Cochlear Implant

Answer 35

A surgically implanted device that directly stimulates the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged parts of the inner ear.

Question 36

Spiral Ganglion

Answer 36

A group of nerve cells that send auditory information from the cochlea to the brain.

Question 37

Vestibulocochlear Nerve

Answer 37

The eighth cranial nerve, responsible for transmitting sound and balance information from the ear to the brain.

Question 38

Superior Olive

Answer 38

A brainstem nucleus involved in sound localization, especially detecting the direction of sounds.

Question 39

Cochlear Nuclear Complex

Answer 39

A collection of nuclei in the brainstem that process auditory information from the cochlea.

Question 40

Inferior Colliculus

Answer 40

A midbrain structure involved in auditory processing and reflexive responses to sound.

Question 41

Medial Geniculate Body

Answer 41

A part of the thalamus that relays auditory information from the inferior colliculus to the auditory cortex.

Question 42

Primary Auditory Cortex

Answer 42

The region of the brain that processes auditory information, located in the temporal lobe.

Question 43

Tonotopic Organization

Answer 43

The spatial arrangement of sound frequency processing in the auditory system, with different frequencies represented in specific areas of the cochlea and cortex.

Question 44

Dorsal Auditory Stream

Answer 44

A pathway in the brain involved in identifying where sounds are coming from, related to spatial localization.

Question 45

Ventral Auditory Stream

Answer 45

A pathway in the brain involved in identifying what a sound is, such as recognizing speech or music.

Question 46

Vestibular System

Answer 46

The sensory system that detects balance, movement, and spatial orientation.

Question 47

Otolith Organs

Answer 47

Sensory organs in the vestibular system that detect linear acceleration and head position relative to gravity.

Question 48

Saccule

Answer 48

A vestibular organ that detects vertical linear acceleration and head position changes.

Question 49

Utricle

Answer 49

A vestibular organ that detects horizontal linear acceleration and head position changes.

Question 50

Semicircular Canals

Answer 50

Fluid-filled structures in the vestibular system that detect rotational movements of the head.

Question 51

Ampulla

Answer 51

The enlarged area at the base of each semicircular canal containing hair cells that detect head movement.

Question 52

Cupula

Answer 52

A gelatinous structure in the ampulla that bends in response to head movement, activating hair cells.

Question 53

Righting Reflex

Answer 53

A reflex that helps the body maintain balance and posture by correcting the position of the head and body in response to changes in orientation. It involves both head righting (vestibulocollic reflex) and body righting (vestibulospinal reflex).

Question 54

Vestibulocollic Reflex

Answer 54

The vestibulocollic reflex (head righting reflex) generates neck muscle contractions to stabilize the head’s position relative to the body, helping to maintain a steady gaze and posture during movement.

Question 55

Vestibulospinal Reflex

Answer 55

The vestibulospinal reflex (body righting reflex) generates limb and core muscle movements to maintain balance by adjusting muscle tone and posture in response to changes in head position or body tilt.

Question 56

Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex

Answer 56

A reflex that stabilizes vision during head movement by causing the eyes to move in the opposite direction of the head.