week 8 Flashcards
Auditory Pathways Unconscious pathways
To the Superior Colliculus BRAINSTEM (midbrain)
- orient to sound
To the Reticular Formation BRAINSTEM (medulla, pons, midbrain - arouse to sound
Auditory Pathways
Conscious Hearing
Information travels upwards via Lateral Lemniscus in the brainstem to the Inferior Colliculus
Lateral Lemniscus = main ascending auditory
tract
From MGB (in thalamus) neurons project to the
primary auditory cortex in a bundle of fibres called Auditory Radiation
Three cortical areas are dedicated to processing
auditory information:
- Primary auditory cortex is the site of conscious
awareness of the intensity of sounds. - Secondary auditory cortex - compares sounds
with memories of other sounds, then categorises
the sounds as language, music, or noise - Wernicke’s area is where comprehension of
spoken language occurs.
Conductive Hearing Loss (CHL)
disorders of the external ear (eg canal blocked by
cerumen/wax) or middle ear – sound air waves not able to transmit to the inner ear
Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SNHL)
disorders of the inner ear (haircells included), cochlear nerve, or central connections
Mixed hearing loss (MHL)
can also occur - mix of both CHL and SNHL
Weber Test
vibrating tuning fork on middle of forehead and asked to localize the sound
* Normal = sound is perceived equal in both ears
Rinne Test
vibrating tuning fork on bone behind patient’s ear and asked when sound fades out, then move the still vibrating fork to EAM and see if sound is heard again
* Normal/positive test = sound will be heard again at the EAM as air conduction better than bone conduction
Otitis Media (with effusion) occurs where and with what
middle ear infection (with fluid/swelling)
Otosclerosis
– fusion of the ossicles due to abnormal bony overgrowth
Presbycusis
the loss of high-frequency hearing with age
Acoustic Neuroma
(Schwannoma)– a benign tumour of Schwann cells of the CN 8, one of the early symptoms of irritation of the nerve fibres can be tinnitus (‘ringing’ in the ear) eventually the ear becomes deaf
Meniere’s disease: (hearing impairment)
Affects the whole labyrinth – usually from increased endolymph in membranous labyrinth
Intermittent hearing loss/changes (including tinnitus) as well as symptoms related to
vestibular system – vertigo, nausea, vomiting, nystagmus
Occurs in clusters of ‘attacks’ or regularly. Each attack lasting minutes or hours.
Cortical Deafness
extremely rare form of sensorineural hearing loss – BILATERAL damage to the primary auditory cortex and secondary auditory cortex (no apparent damage to structures of ear) - most often caused by stroke but also head injury or birth defect.
Auditory Agnosia
– destruction secondary auditory cortex usually spares ability to perceive sound but cannot ‘recognise’ sounds. Speech recognition also affected if it is the left secondary auditory cortex which is damaged
Auditory Verbal Agnosia –
pure word ‘deafness’ – inability to comprehend speech at all and cannot repeat (speech is heard as meaningless noise)
Conductive Hearing Loss (treatment)
clear out wax, treat infection tube to help persistent fluid drain (grommets), and other various surgical options,
HEARING AIDs - treatment
amplify the airwave signals to help them be detected by damaged ears - can be helpful for some types of mild to moderate SNHL (and/or CHL)
Why is the vestibular system important?
Provides conscious perception of
Has an essential role in two areas of motor function
And has a role in autonomic function and consciousness
Hair Cells within the Vestibular Labyrinth
TRANSDUCTION
converting tilt, acceleration, and velocity into neural signals
Mechanical deformation of stereocilia and the kinocilium (unique to vestibular system) causes depolarisation of hair cell:
→ release of neurotransmitter
→ action potential in the vestibular portion of CN8
Utricle and Saccule os housed where and detects what
vestibule
→ linear acceleration/deceleration and tilt of head with respect to gravity
Cristae Ampullaris is housed where and detects what
within the ampulla of each semicircular canal
→ rotational acceleration of the head
Maculae
are the receptors within these otolith organs – epithelium of hair cells, topped by gelatinous material covered with otoconia/otoliths
Macula utriculi
- HORIZONTAL orientation