Anatomy And Physiology Of Hearing

Front 1

Sequential Processing

Back 1

the transferring of information from one area or level to the next; lends itself to hierarchical organization as one ascends the auditory afferent system; takes place in the entire auditory system

Front 2

Parallel processing

Back 2

Involves overlapping functions that occur at about the same time along different channels; takes place in the neural system

Front 3

Outer Ear

Back 3

consists of the pinna and the external auditory meatus; pinna assists in localization

Front 4

External Auditory Meatus/Ear Canal

Back 4

accepts the sounds arriving at the ear and directs these acoustic signals to the tympanic membrane; like a pipe, closed at one end and open at another thus ear canal resonance is determined by the dimensions of the EAM/ear canal
-This is important for the natural perception of sound; the loss or compromise of the normal ear canal response can result in the perception of speech and other acoustic signals as being unnatural/tiny

Front 5

Middle Ear

Back 5

an air filled space within the temporal bone sometimes referred to as the tympanum; two openings within part of the temporal bone that forms the medial wall of the middle ear allow for communication between the middle ear and the inner ear
-impt structures include the ossicular chain and the Eustachian tube; the tendons (tensor tympani and stapedius)
-main fxn--> increase the nrg that us imparted to the cochlea

Front 6

Ossicular Chain

Back 6

-located within the middle ear
-3 smallest bones in the human body: malleus, incus, and stapes

Front 7

eustachian tube

Back 7

Provides fresh air to the middle ear space and equalizes middle ear pressure when necessary

Front 8

Tendons in the middle ear

Back 8

tensor tympani and stapedius muscle; help to support the ossicular chain within the middle ear and they contract in response to loud stimuli, resulting in the stiffining of the ossicular chain, known as the acoustic reflex

Front 9

Temporal Bone

Back 9

Which is apart of the skull base, is a hard bone that has a myriad of cavities, channels, and canals that subserve the organs of hearing and balance
-has four main segments: the squamous; the mastoid; the petrous and the tympanic

Front 10

Membranous cochlea

Back 10

has three ducts: scala vestibuli; scala media, scala tympani. The three ducts/divisions are created by two important membraines: Bassilar membrane and the Reissner's membrane

Front 11

Basilar membrane

Back 11

separates the scala tympani from the inferior portion of the scala media

Front 12

Reissner's Membrane

Back 12

divides the superior aspect of the scala media from the scala vestibuli

Front 13

helicotrema

Back 13

at the apex of the cochlea, this is the place that the where the scala tympani and the scala vestibuli communicate