Questions and Answers
What are the two senses housed in the ear?
Hearing and equilibrium
What type of receptors do the hearing receptors in the ear belong to?
Mechanoreceptors
Which part of the ear is responsible for both hearing and equilibrium functions?
Inner ear
In sensorineural deafness, the problem lies in the:
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What do equilibrium receptors in the ear help maintain?
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Which organ is responsible for responding to physical forces and stimuli like sound vibrations?
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What is the function of the pinna (auricle)?
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Which structure separates the external ear from the middle ear?
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What is the role of the pharyngotympanic tube?
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Which bone in the middle ear is known as the 'hammer'?
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What is the function of the stirrup in the middle ear?
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What causes hearing difficulty and earaches when pressures are unequal?
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What is the function of the cochlea?
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Where are the auditory receptors located?
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What happens when auditory receptors adapt to a specific sound?
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Which part of the bony labyrinth contains fluid-filled tubes to help maintain balance?
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Where is the gel-like tectorial membrane located?
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What is the role of the cochlear nerve in hearing?
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What is the cause of conduction deafness due to otosclerosis?
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Which type of deafness results from a build-up of earwax?
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What structure is affected in Sensorineural deafness?
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In Meniere's syndrome, what causes the sensation of spinning (vertigo)?
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What are common symptoms of equilibrium problems?
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Which type of deafness is associated with nervous system structure problems?
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What is responsible for monitoring the static equilibrium in the inner ear?
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In static equilibrium, what is the role of the otoliths?
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Which structure in the inner ear is responsible for detecting angular head movements for dynamic equilibrium?
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What is the function of the tectorial membrane in the mechanisms of hearing?
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Which part of the ear anatomy is embedded with hair cells and responds to movements by bending these cells?
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What is the function of the cristae ampullares in dynamic equilibrium?
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Study Notes
The Ear and Its Functions
- The ear houses two senses: hearing and equilibrium
- Sound vibrations stimulate hearing receptors (mechanoreceptors) in the ear
- Equilibrium receptors help maintain balance and keep the nervous system updated on head position and movements
Anatomy of the Ear
- Divided into three major areas: outer (external) ear, middle ear, and inner (internal) ear
- Outer ear: involved in hearing only
- Middle ear: involved in hearing only
- Inner ear: involved in both hearing and equilibrium
The External Ear
- Structures involved in hearing only
- Pinna (auricle): bell-shaped structure surrounding the auditory canal, collects and directs sound waves
- External auditory canal: narrow chamber in the temporal bone of the skull, lined with skin and ceruminous glands
- Sound waves entering the auditory canal hit the tympanic membrane (eardrum), causing it to vibrate
The Middle Ear or Tympanic Cavity
- Small air-filled cavity within the temporal bone, involved in the sense of hearing
- Contains three smallest bones in the body: malleus (hammer), incus (anvil), and stapes (stirrup)
- Bones transmit vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear
- Auditory tube connects the middle ear with the throat (pharyngotympanic tube), allowing for equalized pressure during yawning or swallowing
Deafness
- Hearing loss of any degree, from slight loss to total inability to hear sound
- Two types of deafness: conduction deafness and sensorineural deafness
- Conduction deafness: due to mechanical factors, e.g., earwax buildup, otosclerosis
- Sensorineural deafness: due to damage or degeneration of receptor cells, cochlear nerve, or neurons in the auditory cortex
Inner Ear or Bony Labyrinth
- Houses sense organs for hearing and balance
- Divided into three subdivisions: cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canals
- Cochlea: spiraling, pea-sized organ that converts sound waves into nerve impulses
- Vestibule: contains structures that help sense gravity and equilibrium
- Semicircular canals: three tiny, fluid-filled tubes that help maintain balance
Organs of Hearing
- Spiral organ of Corti: located within the cochlea
- Hair cells on the basilar membrane bend when sound waves enter the cochlea
- Cochlear nerve transmits nerve impulses to the auditory cortex for sound interpretation
- Adaptation occurs when the same sound or tones continuously reach the ears
Mechanisms of Hearing
- Vibrations from sound waves move the tectorial membrane
- Hair cells bend, triggering an action potential in the cochlear nerve
- Continued stimulation leads to adaptation
Organs of Equilibrium
- Vestibular apparatus: divided into two functional arms for monitoring static and dynamic equilibrium
- Static equilibrium: maculae in the vestibule report on the position of the head
- Dynamic equilibrium: crista ampullaris in the semicircular canals respond to angular movements of the head
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