Final Exam Prep Flashcards
(505 cards)
What are the two major organs in the vestibular system?
-Vestibule
-Semi-circular canals
What makes up the vestibule?
-Saccule
-Utricle
What makes up the semi-circular canals?
-Anterior canal
-Posterior canal
-Horizontal canal
What movements does the vestibule detect?
-Linear acceleration (forward or side to side)
-Head displacement to gravity (jumping up and down, flexion, extension, lateral side bending)
What movements does the semi-circular canals detect?
-Rotational head movements
-Acceleration of head rotation
What nerve supplies the vestibular system?
-CN VIII (vestibulocochlear)
-Vestibular branch supplies vestibular system
-Cochlear branch stimulates the cochlea
What are the major functions of the vestibular system?
-Maintenance of balance and stable posture
-Postural reflexes that respond to unexpected perturbations
-A stabilizer, acting to counteract the effects of body movement, gravity, and other external forces
What does each semi-circular canal contain?
-Crista ampullaris/ampulla
-Cupula
What does each crista ampullaris contain?
-Cupula
-Supporting cells
-Hair cells
-Stereocilia
-Sensory nerve fibers
How does movement effect the cupula, hair cells, and sterocilia?
-The head rotates, and the cupula moves in the opposite direction of the head rotation (i.e. head rotates right, cupula moves left)
-Stereocilia get bent in the same direction the cupula moves to
-Stereocilia send excitatory signals to the sensory nerve fibers
What happens to sensory nerve fibers in each semicircular canals during head rotation? What is this phenomenon called?
-One side is excited
-The other side is inhibited
-i.e. head rotation to the left, left semi-circular canals are excited, and the right are inhibited
-Called the “push-pull” phenomenon
What is the constant spontaneous firing rate of the vestibular nerve on each side when the head is in a neutral position? What happens when that firing rate changes?
-90-100 spikes/sec
-Changes in that firing rate tells the brain what head movement has occured
What are the semi-circular canal (SCC) functional pairs?
-The right and left horizontal canals (HSCCs)
-The right anterior and left posterior SCC (RALP)
-The left anterior and right posterior (LARP)
-Functional pairs work in the “push-pull” fashion
What is the function of the otoliths?
-Provide information of body position with reference to the force of gravity and linear acceleration
-Are contained within sensory structures called maculae
What age do babies develop otoliths and maculae?
4 months
Where are maculae located?
In the utricle and saccule
What are otoliths? What is their function?
-Otoliths are crystals of calcium carbonate (ear stones)
-Their function is to respond to the changes in gravity and send sensory signals to the brain
What is the structure between the hair cells, stereocilia, and otoliths in the maculae?
-Stereocilia project off the hair cells into the otolithic membrane, which is a gel like substance
-The otoliths are attached to the top of the otolithic membrane
How does the sterocilia and otoliths work together to respond to changes in gravity?
-When the head flexes forward, the sterocilia responds to the changes in gravity by coming forward with the head
-This displaces the otoliths and a sensory signal is sent to the brain
What movement does the saccule detect?
Up and down (flexion and extension of the head)
What movement does the utricle detect?
Side to side (side bending of the head)
Where do the sensory signals from the utricle and saccule go to?
Straight to the AHC
What does otolith activation help with?
Can help increase spatial memory and spatial tasks
What are the four vestibular nuclei? Where are they located?
-Superior
-Lateral
-Medial
-Inferior
-They are located on each side of the brainstem at the junction of the pons and medulla, near the 4th ventricle