36.4 Hearing and Vestibular Sensation

1 min readjune 18, 2024

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Key Terms to Review (9)

Audition: Audition is the sense or act of hearing, which involves the detection and interpretation of sound waves by the auditory system. It plays a crucial role in communication and environmental awareness.
Auricle: The auricle, also known as the pinna, is the external part of the ear that captures sound waves and directs them into the ear canal. It plays a crucial role in localizing sound sources and enhancing auditory perception.
Inner ear: The inner ear is a complex structure within the temporal bone, crucial for hearing and balance. It contains the cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canals, all filled with fluid and sensory cells.
Labyrinth: The labyrinth is a complex system within the inner ear involved in hearing and balance. It consists of both the bony labyrinth and membranous labyrinth, including structures like the cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canals.
Middle ear: The middle ear is an air-filled cavity located between the outer ear and the inner ear. It contains the ossicles, which are three tiny bones that transmit sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
Outer ear: The outer ear consists of the pinna (or auricle) and the external auditory canal. It functions to collect sound waves and funnel them towards the eardrum.
Tectorial membrane: The tectorial membrane is a gelatinous structure located in the cochlea of the inner ear. It plays a crucial role in the process of hearing by interacting with hair cells to transduce sound vibrations into neural signals.
Tympanum: The tympanum, or eardrum, is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. It vibrates in response to sound waves, facilitating hearing by transmitting these vibrations to the auditory ossicles.
Ultrasound: Ultrasound is a technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the inside of the body. It is also used in medical diagnostics and various biological studies, including the study of sensory systems like hearing and vestibular sensation.
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