Hearing Science Test 3

Front 1

In medicine, associated witht he closure of a normal opening; in the ear, associated with a closed external auditory meatus

Back 1

atresia

Front 2

a cyst which typically grows from the upper protion of hte tympanic membrane. A pouch is formed, into which the dead skin that lines the pouch sheds. As more skin is shed into the pouch, it grows. The effect is that of a foreign object within the middle ear cavity. This may lead to erosion of the ossicles, the formation of pus, and a discharge from the ear

Back 2

cholesteatoma

Front 3

occurs when infection persists in the middle ear cavity for a prolonged time period. The ear will often discharge pus, which has a foul odor.

Back 3

chronic otitis media

Front 4

Refers to one aspect of the transformer action of hte middle ear. Sound is collected over a relatively large area (the eardrum) and is transferred to an area 13 times smaller--the stapes footplate. This in effect causes a pressure increase at the oval window, since the original force has remained unchanged, butht he area has been reduced. This "condensation" of energy accounts for a considerable mechanical advantage of the middle ear (about 23 dB)

Back 4

condensation effect

Front 5

Occurs when changes in the skin that lines the exteranl auditory meatus permit the growth of bacteria of fungi. When this occurs there is considerable swelling of hte canal walls. Hearing loss occurs only when the ear canal is comletely closed.

Back 5

external otitis (swimmer's ear)

Front 6

a common cause of conductive hearing loss due to the blocking of the ear canal with cerumen

Back 6

impacted cerumen

Front 7

the mechanical advantage that is gained through the combined effect of the malleus and hte incus. This accounts for about 2dB of the total 25 dB of amplification provided by the middle ear system.

Back 7

Lever action

Front 8

a surgical operation that aims to remove diseased mastoid air cells. There are several forms, each with a different purpose.

Back 8

Mastoidectomy

Front 9

an inflammation of the mastoid air cells

Back 9

mastoiditis

Front 10

occurs when the fluid present within the tympanic cavity is thickened. The thickened fluid is not infected (see erous otitis media)

Back 10

mucous otitis media

Front 11

an operation designed to repair a perforation of the tympanic membrane

Back 11

myringoplasty

Front 12

a surgical incision of the eardrum to drain fluid or pus

Back 12

myringotomy

Front 13

Those conditions in which fluid present within the middle ear cavity is noninfected. Both serous otitis media and mucous otitis media fall into this category

Back 13

nonsuppurative otitis media

Front 14

occurs whenever the ossicular chain in interrupted. The cause may be head trauma, fracture, or disease.

Back 14

ossicular disontinuity

Front 15

a condition in which conductive hearing loss occurs usually through a gradual fixation of the stapes in the oval window. Although the actual cause is unknown, a pathological condition occurs such that the new bony growth is laid down around the stapes footplate. This of course impedes vibration of the stapes with a resulting conductive hearing loss.

Back 15

otosclerosis

Front 16

A common cause of conductive loss. It may arise as the result of a head cold, allergies, enlarged adenoids, or other conditions that impair Eustachian tube function. The condition is characterized by the accumulation of clear, thin fluid wihtin the middle ear cavity, which serves to impair sound conduction. Is also referred to as nonsuppurative otitis media.

Back 16

serous otitis media

Front 17

a surgical procedure to improve hearing in cases of otosclerosis. In this operation, the immobile stapes if first removed and is hten replaced by a prosthesis.

Back 17

stapedectomy

Front 18

a condition in which fluid is present in the middle ear and the fluid has become infected (pus formation).

Back 18

suppurative otitis media (purulent otitis media)

Front 19

the biological amplification process in the middle ear that allows the efficient transfer of energy from the low impedance middle ear to the high impedance perilymph. It is made up of the condensation effect and the lever action.

Back 19

transformer action

Front 20

a surgical procedure that aims to reconstruct the middle ear's conductive function. One for involves grafting various types of tissue to replace or repair a diseased or perforated eardrum.

Back 20

tympanoplasty

Front 21

a nerve that carries nerve impulses from a sensory organ to the central nervous system

Back 21

afferent nerve

Front 22

long extensions of nerve cells which carry information away from the cell body

Back 22

axon

Front 23

extends from the osseous (bony) spiral lamina to the outer wall of the cochlea, where it is held by the spiral ligament. It forms the upper side of the scala tympani, and also provides a base upon which the organ of Corti rests.

Back 23

basilar membrane

Front 24

the actual hollowed-out form, within the temporal bone, of the series of communicating canals and cavities that comprise the labyrinth.

Back 24

bony labyrinth (osseous labyrinth)

Front 25

a thin shelf of bone which partially divides the cochlea for most of its length

Back 25

bony spiral lamina

Front 26

the auditory branch of the VIII cranial or auditory nerve. The fibers that compres it arise from the spiral ganglion of Corti.

Back 26

Cochlear nerve

Front 27

Groups of cell bodies which receive the fibers from the cochlear nerve

Back 27

Cochlear nuclei

Front 28

Small, finger-like processes of a nerve cell which carry nerve imulses to the cell body. They are the receiving ends of the neurons or affectors.

Back 28

dendrites

Front 29

a small membranous tube which unites the saccule with the scala media

Back 29

ductus reuniens

Front 30

a nerve that carries nervous impulses from teh central nervous system to the periphery

Back 30

efferent nerve

Front 31

the fluid that fills the membranous labyrinth

Back 31

endolymph

Front 32

a collection of nerve cell bodies that have a common function but lie outside the central nervous system

Back 32

ganglion

Front 33

both the inner and outer ___ are the actual receptor cells of of acoustic stimuli within the cochlea. They derive their names fromteh hair-like structures, cilia, that project from their tops. The inner are in a single row, and the outer ones are three rows which run down the basilar membrane.

Back 33

hair cells

Front 34

a small opening located at the apical end of the cochlea that allows communication between the scala vestibuli and the scala tympani

Back 34

helicotrema

Front 35

a very small passage in tieh petrous portion of the temporal bone through which the VIII cranial (auditory) and VII cranial (facial) nerve pass on their way to the central nervous system

Back 35

internal auditory meatus

Front 36

the system of interconnecting canals and cavities within the temporal bone that makes up the inner ear. It consists of the Cochlea, the semicircular canals, and the vestibule.

Back 36

labyrinth

Front 37

a thickening of the fibrous membrane that covers the osseous spiral lamina

Back 37

limbus

Front 38

the lowest part of the brainstem, extending from the pons to the spinal cord

Back 38

medulla

Front 39

a system of communicating membranous ducts and sacs which is contained within the larger bony labyrinth. The form of it generally conforms to the shape of the bony labyrinth. Contained within it are the sensory receptors for both the auditory and vestibular systems. It is filled with endolymph.

Back 39

membranous labyrinth

Front 40

the central core of bone around which the cochlea turns for about 2 3/4 turns

Back 40

modiolus

Front 41

a thin white sheath of fatty substance which surrounds the axons of most nerve fibers. Its purpose it so act as an insulator between the axon (which has a positive electrical cahrge) and the surrounding environment (which is negatively charged).

Back 41

myelin sheath

Front 42

projections from the cell bodies of nerve cells; the term may be used for describing both dendrites and axons

Back 42

nerve fiber

Front 43

a transient electrochemical change which rapidly sweeps from one end of a nerve fiber to the other. Once it reaches its termination at one fiber, may excite other fibers, muscles, or glands.

Back 43

Nerve impulse

Front 44

a nerve cell consists of a body (soma), an axon, and dendrites. These are the basic units of the central nervous system

Back 44

neuron

Front 45

a collection of nerve cell bodies int eh central nervous system that have a common feature

Back 45

nucleus

Front 46

The actual sense organ of eharing, located on the upper surface of the basilar membrane, within the scala media

Back 46

organ of Corti

Front 47

consists of two membranous sacs, the utricle and the saccule, and is located within the vestibule. It is that part of the vestibular apparatus which responds to linear acceleration

Back 47

otolith system

Front 48

a small, oval-shaped opening which separates teh middle from the inner ear. It is closed by the stapes footplate and annular ligament. It terminates the scala vestibuli at its basal end

Back 48

oval window

Front 49

the fluid that fillst he bony labyrinth

Back 49

perilymph

Front 50

is the time just after the fiber has been discharged. During this period, the fiber will not be fully charged and it will take a considerably stronger stimulus than usual to initiate a nerve impulse.

Back 50

refractory period

Front 51

The membrane that forms the base of the scala vestibuli and the upper side of the scala media. It extends diagonally from near the osseous spiral lamina to the outer cochlear wall.

Back 51

Reissner's Membrane

Front 52

It is a thin membrane which lies on top of the hair cells in the organ of Corti. The ciliated ends of the hair cells perforate this membrane and then extend toward the tectorial membrane

Back 52

reticular lamina

Front 53

a small round opening which separates the middle from the inner ear. Its membrane serves as teh termination of the scala tympani at its basal end

Back 53

round window

Front 54

a membranous sac located within the vestibule. This along with the utricle comprise the otolith system. It communicates through the ductus reuniens, with the scala media

Back 54

saccule

Front 55

triangular in cross section and is filled with endolymph. It is bounded by the scala vestibuli on its top side and by the scala tympani on its bottom side. It is part of the membranous labyrinth and contains the organ of Corti. It is also referred to as the cochlear duct or cochlear partition.

Back 55

scala media

Front 56

the lowermost channel in teh cochlea. It is part of the bony labyrinth and contains perilymph. It is bounded on its upper side by the basilar membrane

Back 56

scala tympani

Front 57

One that is acquired for various reasons after birth. Noise exposure, disease, ehad trauma, presbycusis, and ototoxic drugs are possible casues

Back 57

acquired hearing loss

Front 58

the absense of oxygen

Back 58

anoxia

Front 59

one in which the site of the hearing disorder is within the cochlea itself

Back 59

cochlear hearing loss

Front 60

an electrical potential which may be recorded from various places in the cochlea. It closely resembles the waveforms of the sounds that enter the ears. It is thought that it originates in teh hairs of the hair cells, and serves to stimulate the auditory nerve fibers which innervate the hair cells

Back 60

cochlear microphonic

Front 61

One that existed before birth; may be either hereditary or acquired in utero

Back 61

congenital heraing loss

Front 62

a clinical electrophysiological procedure that records electrical responses of the cochlea and auditory nerve to various acoustic signals

Back 62

electrocochleography (ECoG)

Front 63

Theory of hearing in which the analysis of pitch is thought to occur at the cerebral level; the cochlea simply acts to transduce that acoustic signals to an appropriate neural code which the brain interprets

Back 63

frequency theory of hearing

Front 64

a general term which refers to an inflammation of the inner ear. The condition is associated with vertigo and hearing loss

Back 64

labyrinthitis

Front 65

an inflammation of hte membranes that cover the brain, or of the spinal cord

Back 65

meningitis

Front 66

refers to a permanent reduction of audiroty sensitivity after exposure to intense sound

Back 66

permanent threshold shift (PTS)

Front 67

a theory of hearing in which the analysis of pitch is thought to occur in the cochlea; the brain acts as a receiver of the already decoded auditory messages

Back 67

place theory of hearing

Front 68

a hearing loss in which the auditory dysfunction is located along the path of hte auditory nerve (VIII cranial nerve)

Back 68

retrocochlear hearing loss

Front 69

An acute viral disease, usually mild in degree. It most often occurs in children and young adults and is characterized by a pale pink rash. If a pregnant woman contracts it, primarily in the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus may develop a number of congenital defects. These include hearing loss, cardiovascular defects, and visual difficulties.

Back 69

Rubella; "German measles"

Front 70

refers to the mechanical bending of the hair cells on the organ of Corti by the tectorial membrane as the fluids in the cochlea move

Back 70

shearing action

Front 71

a set of symptoms that characterize a disease

Back 71

syndrome

Front 72

an infectious and chronic venereal disease which is transmitted either by direct contact or congenitally

Back 72

syphilis

Front 73

a temporary reduction in hearing sensitivity following exposure to intense noise (not permanent)

Back 73

temporary threshold shift (TTS)

Front 74

the orderly arrangement of auditory centers in the auditory central nervous system, such that each center would be arranged as a frequency map of the cochlea. Thus, the frequency arrangement of the cochlea would be unrolled at other levels in the auditory system

Back 74

tonotopic organization

Front 75

a device that changes energy from one form to another, thus allowing energy to flow from one system to another

Back 75

transducer

Front 76

Conducts nerve impulses toward the brain; "ascending tract"

Back 76

afferent pathway

Front 77

a condition in which degenerative changes in the arteries cause a thickening and hardening of the arterial walls, decreasing the blood supply

Back 77

arteriosclerosis

Front 78

the inability to recognize auditory stimuli, even though sensitivity may fall within normal limits

Back 78

auditory agnosia

Front 79

a large bundle of small fibers which runs from the medial geniculate body to the auditory cortex

Back 79

auditory radiations

Front 80

caused by a lesion that involves either the auditory pathways from the brainstem to the medial geniculate body, or the auditory centers of the cortex, or both

Back 80

central hearing loss

Front 81

a nerve that crosses over from one side of the brainstem or brain to the other

Back 81

decussate

Front 82

Conducts nerve impulses away from the brain to the periphery; "descending tract"

Back 82

efferent pathway

Front 83

the last auditory relay station before the auditory cortex; located on the thalamus; receives its auditory impulses through the inferior colliculus and then sends the impulses to the cortex by the way of the auditory radiations

Back 83

medial geniculate body

Front 84

an intricate relay station through which nerve impulses pass on their way to and from the cortex

Back 84

thalamus