CSD 3103

ANATOMY OF SPEECH AND HEARING MECHANISMS

FALL SEMESTER 2008

 

Study Guide for the Ear

 

 

You should be able to identify, locate, and/or otherwise define all of these structures:

 

temporal bone                                                           earlobe

mastoid process                                                        helix

internal auditory meatus                                           antitragus

auricle                                                                       antihelix

pinna                                                                         tragus

external auditory meatus                                          scaphoid fossa

tympanic membrane                                                  crus of helix

concha                                                                      triangular fossa

sebaceous glands                                                      tympanic sulcus

sebum                                                                       tympanic annulus

cerumen                                                                    umbo                                            

osseocartilaginous junction                                        pars flaccida

pars tensa                                                                 cone of light

petrous portion of the temporal bone                       middle ear space

epitympanic recess                                                    tympanic antrum

mastoid air cells                                                         tegmen tympani

tympanic plate of the temporal bone                         jugular fossa

the oval window                                                       stapes

the round window                                                   promontory

mastoid wall                                                              tympanic aditus

pyramidal eminence                                                  stapedius muscle

chorda tympani nerve                                               carotid wall

eustachian tube                                                         ossicular chain

malleus                                                                      incus

stapes                                                                       tensor tympani muscle

the superior malleal ligament                                     stapedius muscle

the anterior malleal ligament                                     cochleariform process

the lateral malleal ligament                                        eustachian tube

the posterior incudal ligament                                   the vestibule

superior face (ceiling)                                                semicircular canals

inferior face (floor)                                                   cochlea

posterior face (left side wall)                                     ampulla

anterior face (right side wall)                                    modiolus

lateral face (front wall)

medial face (back wall)

membranous labyrinth.

oval and round windows                                         the semicircular canals

internal auditory meatus                                           scala vestibuli

scala tympani                                                            scala media

helicotrema                                                               perilymph

endolymph                                                                the utricle

saccule                                                                      scala media

crista ampularis

vestibular and acoustic branches of the Eighth Nerve

basilar membrane                                                      Reissner’s membrane

spiral lamina                                                              Organ of Corti

rods of Corti                                                             inner hair cells

outer hair cells                                                          reticular lamina

tectorial membrane                                                   kinocilium

stereocilia                                                                  afferent pathways

synapse                                                                     neurotransmitters

action potential                                                         VIII cranial nerve

acoustic branch of the VIII N                                    vestibular branch

auditory nerve                                                          spiral ganglion

cochlear nucleus                                                        trapezoid body

superior olivary complex                                           lateral lemniscus

inferior c    olliculus                                                   Heschl’s gyrus

medial geniculate body                                             auditory cortex

neuron                                                                      cell body

dendrites                                                                  axon

 

 

 


You should be able to explain, describe, and/or otherwise apply the following concepts:

 

 

Boundaries for the outer, middle, and inner ear and for each: landmark structures, the form of energy transmission, and function.

 

Resonant effects of helix and concha in most favorable azimuth position.

 

Resonance property of external canal.

 

The two main functions of the ossicles (impedance matching and protection).

 

Transformer function of the middle ear including: the area advantage hypothesis, curved membrane buckling, and the level principle.

 

Explain displacement of cochlear fluids with movement of the stapes and how this leads to excitation of the hair cells within the Organ of Corti.

 

Describe and explain all aspects of the traveling wave including how it arises, characteristics, and its relationship to the frequency of the incoming signal.

 

Tonotopic organization across all levels of the auditory system.

 

Neural activity of auditory nerve fibers such as phase-locking and input-outpus functions.

 

Single fiber tuning curves and their characteristics.

 

Temporal characteristics of neural activity.