Physiology of

hearing
through ear
PRESENTED BY: SEEZA
ENROLLMENT NUMBER: A044110521004
SUBMITTED TO : Dr. SONAL CHAUHAN
• Ears are one of the five sensory organs of
our body. Other than hearing, one of
it's main function is to maintain the balance
of the body. The hair cells present in the
internal ear help in sensing the position of
the body, in accordance with gravity and
maintain the equilibrium.
• Structure of ear comprises three main
sections:-
   (i)  Outer ear
   (ii) Middle ear 
   (iii) Inner ear
                                   
• Pinna: (I)It is the outermost part which have very
fine hairs and glands.              OUTER EAR
   (ii) The glands secrete wax. 
   (iii)It protects other organisms and dust from
entering.

• External auditory canal (or) meatus:  (I) It is

connected to pinna at the outer side and extends
till tympanic membrane or eardrum. 
   (ii)They also have wax glands.

• Tympanic membrane (or) eardrum: (I) It is

made up of connective tissue. (ii)Skin covers the
outer portion and from inside, it is covered by
mucous membrane.
     MIDDLE  EAR

• Malleus: It is a hammer-shaped
bone, attached to the tympanic
membrane.
• Incus: It is an anvil-shaped bone,
present between the malleus and
stapes.
• Stapes: It is the smallest bone of the
body. It is stirrup-shaped and
attached to the oval window of the
cochlea.
INNER  EAR
• The inner ear is called
the labyrinth. It is composed of
a group of interconnected canals
and sacs.
• The membranous labyrinth is
present inside the bony
labyrinth and surrounded by a
fluid known as perilymph.
• The endolymph is filled within
the membranous labyrinth.
            COCHLEA (Auditory Organ)

• The Cochlea is a coiled portion of the membranous

labyrinth, which looks like a snail.
• It is made up of three canals which are scala vestibuli ,
scala media and the scala tympani and they are
separated by thin membranes.
      (I) The scala vestibuli is filled with the perilymph and
terminates at the oval window.
     (ii) The scala media is filled with endolymph and
contains the auditory organ which is known as the organ
of Corti.
     (iii) The scala tympani is also filled with the perilymph
and ends at the opening in the middle ear, that is the round
window.
• Hair cells present in the cochlea detect pressure waves
and there are sensory receptors  present at the base of
hair cells that send signals to the brain.
 Vestibular apparatus
(Equilibrium organ)

• Saccule and utricle have macula,

which is a projecting ridge.
• Macula has hair cells, which are
sensory. Stereocilia comes out
from the hair cells.
 Physiology of Ear
• The main functions which ears perform
are hearing and equilibrium maintenance.
   ->The organ of Corti (Cochlea) is
responsible for hearing function.
   -> Maculae (Saccule and Utricle) are
responsible for static equilibrium.
   -> Cristae (semicircular canals) are
responsible for dynamic equilibrium.
Mechanism of Hearing
Mechanism of Maintaining Equilibrium

• The vestibular apparatus is the main organ for maintaining equilibrium.

• Static equilibrium is maintained by macula of saccule and utricle. Otoliths press against stereocilia
due to gravitational pull and stimulate the initiation of a nerve impulse. 
• Utricle responds to the vertical movement and Saccule responds to the sideways movement of the
head.
• Dynamic equilibrium is detected by cristae of semicircular canals.
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