PATHWAY OF EVENTS IN THE STIMULATION OF AUDITORY RECEPTORS IN THE EAR

Auricle (Pinna) directs sound waves

into the external auditory canal.

Sound waves strike the tympanic membrane causing

it to vibrate back and forth due to alternating waves
of high and low pressure in the air.

The central area of the tympanic membrane connects to the first

auditory ossicle, the Malleus, which vibrates along with the tympanic
membrane, causing it transmit vibrations to the incus and stapes.

As the stapes moves back and forth, its oval-shaped footplate vibrates in the
oval window. This causes the oval window to bulge inward, allowing fluid
pressure waves to be pushed into the perilymph of scala vestibuli.

From scala vestibule, waves are transmitted to the

scala tympani, and eventually to the round window,
causing it to bulge outward into the middle ear.

From scala vestibule, the pressure
waves are transmitted to the scala
tympani, and eventually to the
round window, causing it to bulge
outward into the middle ear.
Pressure waves travel through the
perilymph of scala vestibuli, then
the vesicular membrane, and then
into the endolymph of the
cochlear duct.

The pressure waves in the endolymph cause the basilar

membrane to vibrate, moving the hair cells of the spiral
organ against the tectorial membrane.

This leads to bending of the stereocilia and generation

of nerve impulses in first-order neurons in cochlear
nerve fibers.