Explain The Pathway Of Nerve Impulses From The Ear To The Brain

Describe the pathway of nerve impulses from the ear to the brain.
The transmission of nerve impulses from the ear to the brain allow the subject to hear and interpret different sounds – for humans, this means we can understand language and can interact with one another. These impulses travel via the cochlear branch of the vestibulocochlear nerve, which sends signals from the cochlea. The vestibulocochlear nerve is also known as the auditory or acoustic nerve and is the eighth cranial nerve which stems directly from the brain, unlike the spinal nerves which derive from the spinal cord itself. Impulses that pertain to equilibrium are transmitted from the vestibular apparatus by way of the vestibular branch.
Describe the roles of the retina and the optic nerve in vision. …show more content…
The retina consists of two specific cells that respond to different levels of light – rods, and cones – which affect the visual acuity, or sharpness of vision, of the subject. Unaffected by color, rods specialize in low levels of light and cause low visual acuity. Cones are the opposite; they function in high light levels, respond to color, and provide high visual acuity to the respective individual. For accurate vision to occur, light that has been refracted through the eye must focus on a precise area of the retina. The rods and cones generate impulses within themselves, and these signals are sent to the brain through the optic nerve; the brain then processes the signals and turns them into images. A blind spot is an area in which there is a lack of visual perception. They are present because there are no cones or rods in the area where the retina and the optic nerve connect, termed as the optic