THE EAR

Outer Ear
Middle Ear
Inner Ear
OUTER EAR

By: Clarizza C. Baldoza

 1. PINNA(auricle)

2. EAR CANAL(external auditory canal)

3.TYMPANIC MEMBRANE (ear

drum)
The external ear
 The pinna – the part of the "ear" that we see on each side of our heads 

 is made of cartilage and soft tissue so that it keeps a particular shape but is also
flexible.
 It serves as a collector of sound vibrations around us and guides the vibrations into
the ear canal. It helps us decide the direction and source of sound.
 the cartilage of the ear; it acts as a funnel to capture the sound.

 If you cup your hands to your ears (do it now), you’ll notice the sound of my voice
is louder.
 If you rolled up a piece of paper like a funnel and put it to your ear, it functions like
the pinna.
 The transmission of sound vibrations through the outer ear occurs chiefly through
AIR.
Pinna/auricle
• The external auditory canal extends from from the 
typmpanic membrane medially to the 
external auditory meatus (EAM) laterally.
• It is typically 2.5cm in overall length.

• The lateral 1.5cm are bounded by a fibrocartilagenous tube

continuous with the auricle.
• The medial 1cm is formed by the bony margins of the temporal
bone (squamous part superiorly, mastoid part posteriorly).
• The skin of this inner part is directly applied to periosteum, with no
subcutaneous tissue present. 
External auditory canal
•  The tympanic membrane is the thin piece of tissue that
separates the external structures of the ear from the middle
and inner ear. Also called the eardrum, the tympanic
membrane receives sound and carries the vibration to the
tiny bones inside the ear. timpanic membrane
• Examples: Using a cotton swab to clean the ear can
damage the tympanic membrane.
The Middle Ear

Presentation by : Marjorie Ann Salas

 Tympanic Cavity
- it is a small cavity surrounding the bones of
the middle ear.

Auditory Ossicles
- transmit acoustic vibrations from the eardrum
to the inner ear
 Auditory Ossicles
Malleus (hammer)
- long handle attached to the ear drum

Incus (anvil)
- the bridge bone between Malleus and the stapes

Stapes (stirrup)
- the footplate; the smallest bone in the body
 Auditory Tube
( Eustac hian Tube)
- tube that runs from the middle ear to the pharynx
Inner Ear
Presentation by : Patricia Kim Sunga
 the essential part of the vertebrate
organ of hearing and equilibrium that
typically is located in the temporal
bone, is innervated by the auditory
nerve, and includes the vestibule, the
semicircular canals, and the cochlea
-called also internal ear
 Anterior

situated at or directed toward the front; opposite

of posterior. In quadrupeds the use of the term
is limited to parts of the head but is often used
to mean cranially. In bipeds such as humans it
is synonymous with ventral.
 Lateral
denoting a position farther from the median
plane or midline of the body or a structure.
 Posterior

directed toward or situated at the back; opposite

of anterior. In quadrupeds usually applied only
to parts of the head.
 Cristae within ampullae

is a cone-shaped structure, covered in

receptor cells called "hair cells“.
 Utricle
A small sac or pouch. A dilated portion of the
membranous labyrinth receiving the ampullae
of the semicircular canals; contains an area of
sensory epithelium, the macula utriculi.
 Saccule
The smaller of the two membranous sacs in the
vestibule of the labyrinth, lying in the spheric recess; it
is connected with the cochlear duct by a very short
tube, the ductus reuniens, and with the utriculus by the
beginning of the endolymphatic sac and the
utriculosaccularis duct that joins it.
 Vestibulocochlear nerve
A composite sensory nerve that emerges from the brainstem
at the cerebellopontine angle, innervates the receptor cells
of the membranous labyrinth, and consists of two major
anatomically and functionally distinct components: the
vestibular nerve and the cochlear nerve. Also called
acoustic nerve, eighth cranial nerve.
 Cochlear duct
is an endolymph filled cavity inside the cochlea,
located in between the tympanic duct and the
vestibular duct, separated by the basilar membrane
and Reissner's membrane (the vestibular membrane)
respectively.
 Vestibular duct
A spiral membranous tube suspended
within the cochlea, occupying the lower
portion of the vestibular canal.
 Tympanic duct
the wall that separates the cochlear duct
from the scala tympani; it consists of the
osseous spiral lamina and the basilar
membrane.
 Cochlea
the auditory portion of the inner ear. It is a spiral
tunnel about 30 mm long with two full and three
quarter-turns, resembling a tiny snail shell and
containing the sense organ for hearing.
Cochlea
Auditory pathways
 Auditory pathways
• Auditory Nerve - Axons from hair cells
• Cochlear Nucleus - Sends information from the auditory nerve to the
Superior Olive and to the Inferior Colliculus
• Superior Olive - Analogous to the Optic Chiasm - information from both
ears crosses over to be sent to both hemispheres
• Inferior Colliculus - Analogous to the Superior Colliculus for vision -
Orienting and reflexive localization -- recent studies show multimodal
neurons in the colliculus which share visual and auditory information for
orientation movements
• Medial Geniculate Nucleus (MGN) Relays information from the SO to A1
Equilibrium
By: Rina Puti
 Static equilibrium
Maculae
 It is a receptor within the membrane sacs of the vestibule, it reports on
changes in the position of the head in space with respect to the pull of gravity
when the body is not moving.
 It provides information on which way is up and down, they help us keep our
head erect.
 Each macula is a patch of receptor (hair) cells with their “hairs” embedded in
the otolithic membrane
Otholitic membrane
 A jelly like mass studded with otholiths, tiny stone made
of calcium salts.
As the head moves the otholits roll in reponse to changes
in the pull of gravity. This movement create a pull on the
gel, which in turn slides like a greased plate over the hair
cells, which sends impulses along the vestibular nerve (a
division of cranial nerve VIII) to the cerebellum of the
brain, informing it of the position of the head in space.
Macula
Equilibrium Pathway
 Dynamic equilibrium
A receptor found in the semicircular canals,
responds to angular or rotatory movements of the
head rather than the straight line movements.
Within the ampula, a swollen region at the base of
each membranous semicircular canal, is a
receptor region called a crista ampullaris
Crista ampullaris

 consists of a tuft of hair cells covered with a

gelatinous cap called the cupula
 Hearing Loss
• Conduction Deafness - any damage to the middle ear
which impairs hearing
• Nerve Deafness or Presbicusis- Effects High
Frequencies - Less elasticity in the Basilar membrane -
Loss of nutrients to cochlea - Cumulative effects of noise
• Noise Exposure - Effects High Frequencies - Both
Sudden and prolonged exposure
• When high Frequency hearing is impaired speech
perception becomes increasingly difficult
Auditory Impairments,
Sensory Substitution
& Treatments
 Types of Impairment

1. Conduction Deafness
2.Nerve Deafness
3. Cortical Deafness
 Causes of Type I Nerve Deafness

• Presbycusis – Old Ear -- High Frequency

hearing loss
• Noise Induced Hearing Loss: Also effects high
frequencies – Damage to cilia or Bassilar
membrane -- Tinitus
• Infection of Cochlea – Damage to cilia
• Menier’s Disease: Excessive fluid pressure in
Cochlea damages Organ of Corti.
 Nerve Deafness
Damage to the Cochlea, Or Path to Cortex

1. Cilia or Hair Cells

2. Basilar Membrane
3. Auditory Nerve
4. Olive
5. Auditory Tract
6. Inferior Colliculus
7. MGN of Thalamus
8. Auditory Projections
 Causes of Type II Nerve Deafness

 Degenerative nerve disease

 Congenital disorder
 Infection
 Stroke
 Trauma
 Treating Type II Nerve Deafness

• No cure at present
• Stem cells research is designed to allow new
nerve growth in damaged areas.
• Has already worked with Parkinson’s and
Tourrette’s
• Should work for vision, audition, Alzheimers,
Epilepsy, stroke, etc.
 Summary of Nerve Deafness

Caused by damage between cochlea and

cortex
Cochlear Implants
Stem Cell Research
 Sensory Substitution

ASL:
Closed Captioning Foundation