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Physiology of The Auditory System
Physiology of The Auditory System
SURGERY
I. ACOUSTICS
• SOUND- energy waves of particle displacement
• The velocity of sound propagation:
• Dry air- 340 m/sec at room temperature
• Water- 1500 m/sec
AMPLITUDE
• Max. amount of
displacement
from the null
point in one
direction
• Measured in
Decibels
Resonance describes the phenomenon of increased amplitude that occurs when the frequency of a
periodically applied force is equal or close to a natural frequency of the system on which it acts.
III. MIDDLE EAR MECHANICS
• There are two pathways by which sound is transmitted by the middle ear
to the inner ear:
• 60 dB
• Difference between ossicular coupling and acoustic coupling
• The maximal amount of hearing loss expected in patients with ossicular
discontinuity
III. MIDDLE EAR MECHANICS
• Middle ear is composed of the:
a) Tympanic membrane (TM)
b) Ossicles—malleus, incus, and
stapes
c) Stapedius
d) Tensor tympani
Because the inner ear is fluid filled, if a sound stimulus strikes the fluid
directly, most of the acoustic energy will be deflected, because the
impedance of fluid is much greater than the impedance of air.
III. MIDDLE EAR MECHANICS
IMPEDANCE MATCHING (Transformer action)
• The 20 dB middle ear sound-pressure gain helps to facilitate sound transmission from the air-filled middle ear
into the fluid-filled inner ear
IV. INNER EAR PHYSIOLOGY
Perilymph Endolymph
Location scala vestibuli and scala tympani scala media
(*cochlear duct, semi-circular ducts,
utricle and the saccule)
Potassium content Low High
Sodium Content High Low
IV. INNER EAR PHYSIOLOGY
IV. INNER EAR PHYSIOLOGY
hair cell depolarization causes calcium influx through channels along the basolateral
membrane of the hair cell
Type I Type II
account for approximately 90% account for approximately 10%
myelinated unmyelinated
sends a single peripheral process to form a sends a peripheral process to form synapses
single synapse with a single inner hair cell with multiple outer hair cells
• The afferent auditory neurons are also tonotopically tuned as sound stimulus enters
the cochlea, its frequency components are analyzed by the basilar membrane as a series of filters.
• This frequency information is preserved through the hair cells and the auditory afferent neurons
and is transmitted to the central nervous system.
VI. AUDITORY BRAINSTEM AND
MIDBRAIN: COCHLEAR NUCLEUS
• Cochlear nucleus is the critical first relay station for all ascending
auditory information.
- located in the pontomedullary junction of the dorsolateral brainstem
• The ventral cochlear nucleus contains a number of different
cell types:
1. Spherical bushy cells [anteroventral cochlear nucleus
(rostral)]
2. Globular bushy and multipolar cells [centrally]
3. Octopus cells [posteriorly (caudal)]
• Three divisions:
a) Ventral division- projects to the primary auditory cortex
b) Dorsal division projects to the auditory association
cortex
c) Medial
VII. THALAMUS AND AUDITORY
CORTEX : AUDITORY CORTEX
Auditory Association
Primary Auditory Cortex
Cortex
located on the superior
located lateral to the primary
surface of the temporal lobe
auditory cortex
(Heschl gyrus)
tonotopically tuned:
• High frequencies-more part of a language reception
medially area known as the Wernicke
• Low frequencies- more area
laterally
more sensitive to low-frequency sound information more responsive to higher frequency information
VIII. EFFERENT AUDITORY SYSTEM: OLIVOCOCHLEAR
REFLEX PATHWAYS sound activates the afferent auditory
fibers, which innervate the interneurons in
the ipsilateral posteroventral cochlear
nucleus
E
C
O
L
I
M
A
• Descending pathways to the ear (auditory efferents) modulate the response of the middle ear
(acoustic reflex) and inner ear (medial olivocochlear reflex) to certain types of sounds
➢ prevent acoustic overstimulation and also enhance speech discrimination in background noise.
THANK YOU AND GOOD
NIGHT
END OF PRESENTATION.