COCHLEA (inner ear)

-system of fluid-filled coiled tubes within the temporal bone

-converts auditory signals into nerve messages and sends them to the brain

(The cochlea is made up of three canals/components scala vestibuli, scala media, and scala tympano
which are subdivided by two membranes, Reissner’s and basilar.)

3 components: (subdivided by two membranes.)

Scala vestibuli – superior, conducts sound vibration to the cochlear duct

Scala media (cochlear duct) – contains the receptor organ for hearing, the Organ of Corti.

(This contains series of hair cells which are electromechanically sensitive cells that generate nerve
impulses in response to sound vibrations. The scala vestibuli and scala media are separated by Reissner’s
membrane which forms a selective barrier between the two cochlear fluids: perilymph and endolymph.
Itudlo asa sila makita.)

Scala tympani – inferior, where sounds are converted into electrical signals and sent to the brain

(The scala media and scala tympani is separated by the basilar membrane which forms the base of the
organ of Corti.)

SLIDE 2

In the conduction of sound vibrations…SHOW DIAGRAM AND EXPLAIN.

Sound waves entering the ear travel through the external auditory canal before striking the
tympanic membrane or the eardrum, causing it to vibrate. This vibration is transmitted into the
middle ear from the malleus, incus and then passes to the stapes. The stapes pushes in and out
against a structure called the oval window.

In this diagram, the scala vestibuli and scala media is considered as a single chamber because
the Reissner’s membrane that separates them is too thin and is easily moved and so it does not
obstruct passage as far as fluid conduction of sound is concerned.

The inward movement causes the fluid to move forward in the scala vestibuli and scala media
and the outward movement causes it to move backward thus creating a wave within the inner
ear that travels along the basilar membrane to the tip of the cochlea through the helicotrema
then to the scala tympani and dissipates as they hit the round window.

As it travels along the basilar membrane, it stimulates the sensory organs, hair cells. As they
move up and down, stereocilia, which are microscopic hair-like projections found at the tip of
the hair cells, bump against the overlying structure and bend. This bending causes pore-like
channels to open allowing depolarization to occur, creating an electrical signal. Note that n the
scala vestibuli and scala tympani that is filled with perilymph has a similar composition to the
extracellular fluid (high sodium, low potassium) while the scala media that is filled with
endolymph has a similar composition to the intracellular fluid (low sodium, high potassium). So,
when the stereocilia which is bathed with endolymph open up, depolarization takes place and
this stimulates the release of chemicals, the neurotransmitters, from the base of the hair cell
which are then absorbed by the nerve fib

SLIDE 3

Basilar Membrane and Resonance in the Cochlea

(The cochlea analyzes sound frequencies (distinguishes pitch or the highness or lowness of
sound) by means of the basilar membrane which exhibits different degrees of stiffness, or
resonance, along its length.