Lecture: Physiology of Hearing and Equilibrium

I. Physical Characteristics of Sound

A. Sound as Vibration of Air olecules !ra"eling in #a"es
$. "ibration of medium % sound tra"els in com&ression 'a"es through a &articular
medium
a. solid%%%%%%%%%%%%%( liquid %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%( gas
fastest slo'est
). sound as a 'a"e % the series of high &ressure and lo' &ressure areas are called
*com&ressions+ and *rarefactions+, res&ecti"ely
a. sine 'a"e % gra&hic re&resentation of areas of com&ression and
rarefaction of a sound 'a"e
b. 'a"elength % the distance bet'een ) areas of com&ression for a
gi"en sound 'a"e
c. frequency % the number of 'a"es that &ass a gi"en &oint in one
second -$.s / $ Hert01
i. short 'a"elength.high frequency % high &itched tones
ii. long 'a"elength.lo' frequency % lo' &itched tones
iii. human frequency range % )2H0 % )2,222 H0 -)%3 H0
distinction1
d. am&litude % intensity of energy in a gi"en 'a"e of sound4 signified by
height of sine 'a"e
i. loudness % sub5ecti"e inter&retation of the intensity of a sound
ii. decibel % logarithmic scale to measure the intensity of sound 'a"es
Energy in the Sound #a"e Percei"ed Loudness
2 d6 threshold for audibility barely audible
$2 d6 l2 7 2 d6 ) 7 2 d6
)2 d6 $22 7 2 d6 8 7 2 d6
32 d6 $222 7 2 d6 9 7 2 d6
82 d6 $2,222 7 2 d6 $: 7 2 d6
iii. human am&litude range % 2 d6 % $)2 d6 -$32 d6 / &ain le"el1
II. !ransmission of Sound to the Inner Ear
air %%(
e;ternal auditory canal %%(
tym&anic membrane -ear drum1 %%(
ossicles -malleus, incus, sta&es.1 %%(
o"al 'indo' of cochlea %%(
"ibration of cochlear fluid %%(
basilar membrane of cochlea
III. Resonance of Basilar Membrane & Excitation of Hair Cells
A. <esonance of 6asilar embrane
$. "ibration of o"al 'indo' %( &erilym&h "ibration
). for )2 % )2,222 H0 only, "ibration of "estibular membrane
3. "estibular membrane "ibration %( endolym&h "ibration
8. endolym&h "ibration %( "ibration of basilar membrane
=. basilar membrane *fibers+ of different length, thic>ness, and tension li>e strings of a
&iano
a. resonance % different fibers of basilar membrane ha"e different *natural
frequencies+
b. SPECI?IC &arts of basilar membrane "ibrate only at SPECI?IC frequency -&itch1
6. E;citation of Hairs Cells of @rgan of Corti
$. cochlear hair cells % rest on the basilar membrane, contain AstereociliaA 'hich &ro5ect into
the Atectorial membraneA 5ust abo"e
a. basilar m. "ibration %( hair cell "ibration
b. hair cell "ibration %( o&ening.closing channels
c. de&olari0ation.hy&er&olar %( cochlear ner"e
d. cochlear ner"e im&ulses %( to brain
IV. Anatomical Pathway to the Brain
cochlear ner"e -"estibulocochlear VIII1%(
s&iral ganglion %%(
cochlear nuclei -medulla1 %%(
su&erior oli"ary nucleus %%(
lateral lemniscal tract %%(
inferior colliculus %%(
medial geniculate body of thalamus %%(
auditory corte; -su&erior tem&oral lobe1
V. Processing of A!itory Information
A. Percei"ing Pitch -?requency1 % location of vibration on the basilar membrane
6. Percei"ing Bifferences in Loudness -Intensity1 % am&litude increases, more hair cells of the
basilar membrane (with same pitch) are activated
C. locali0ing Source of Sound
$. su&erior oli"ary nucleus % first &oint 'here sound from both ears come together
a. relati"e intensity % the am&litude of sound 'a"es hitting the different ears
b. relati"e timing % the difference in timing in 'hich a sound reaches both ears
VI. "y#ical Hearing $isor!ers
A. conduction deafness % disru&tion in sound "ibrations to basilar membrane -e;t C mid ear1
$. bloc>ed auditory canal -'a;, fluid1
). &erforated tym&anic membrane -eardrum1
3. otitis media % middle ear infection.inflammation
8. otosclerosis % hardening of the earbone 5oints
6. sensorineural deafness % disru&tion any'here in &ath'ay from hair cells to the auditory corte;
$. loss of hair cells -e;&losion, chronic loud noise1
). damage to "estibulocochlear ner"e -VIII1
3. damage to nuclei.tracts to the corte;
C. tinnitus % chronic &erce&tion of clic>ing or ringing
$. sudden blo' to the tym&anic membrane
). gradual deterioration of afferents in cochlear ner"e
B. enierreDs Syndrome % effects both hearing and balance4 results in tinnitus, "ertigo, and
inters&ersed nausea and "omiting
$. may be too much endolym&h beneath basilar membrane
). sym&toms can be treated some'hat 'ith drugs
3. endolym&h may be drained &eriodically
8. hearing loss is &rogressi"e
VII. E%ilibrim an! Balance& "he Vestiblar A##arats
A. Linear o"ement: !he aculae of the Vestibule
$. "estibule % bony ca"ity of the inner ear bet'een the cochlea and the semicircular canals
a. saccule and utricle % smaller sacs housed 'ithin the "estibule
b. maculae % &atch of Asu&&orting cellsA and Ahair cellsA along the utricles and
saccules
i. hair cells % li>e hair cells of basilar membrane, res&ond 'hen bent
c. otolithic membrane % 5elly%li>e sheet that abuts the AstereociliaA of the hair cells
i. otoliths % Aear stonesA that rest on to& of the otolithic membrane
). hori0ontal acceleration % maculae of '"RIC(E is in the hori0ontal &lane4 hairs bend 'hen
motion is ?@<#A<B.6ACE#A<B
3. "ertical acceleration % maculae of )ACC'(E is in the "ertical &lane4 hairs bend 'hen
motion is FP.B@#G
6. Angular o"ement: !he Crista of Semicircular Canals
$. semicircular canals % three bony Ahula%hoo&A e;tensions of "estibule in three different
&lanes
). crista am&ullaris % li>e maculae, contain hair cells that res&ond to flo' of endolym&h in
canals
a. cu&ula % li>e otolith membrane, gelatinous Aca&A into 'hich hair cells &ro5ect
3. change in angular -rotational1 acceleration % mo"ement of the head in non%linear -circular
or angular1 direction is monitored by three canals
8. "estibular nystagmus % mo"ement of eyes to remain fi;ed on ob5ect 'hen on Amerry%go%
roundA
=. "ertigo % false feeling of gra"ity or motion
C. Equilibrium Path'ay: Coordinating In&uts in 6rain
acti"ated hair cells of crista am&ularis %(
afferent a;on fibers -"estibulocochlear ner"e1 %( "estibular nuclear com&le; @< cerebellum
$. "estibular nuclei % also recei"e in&ut from eyes and somatic &ro&rioce&tors4 coordinates
information to hel& control motion of eyes, nec>, limbs
). cerebellum % also recei"es in&ut from eyes and somatic &ro&rioce&tors4 coordinates
information to hel& regulate head &osition, &osture, and balance
B. Problems 'ith Equilibrium
$. di00iness, nausea, imbalance, "omiting
). motion sic>ness % conflict bet'een "isual.somatic in&uts and action of the "estibular
a&&aratus
a. 6onine, Bramamine, Sco&olamine % bloc> in&uts from "estibular a&&aratus to the brain