AUDITORY SYSTEM

EAR (ORGAN OF HEARING

&BALANCE) +
AUDITORY PATHWAY
 Introduction
EAR is organ of hearing and balance.
is a complex organ responsible for detecting
sound waves and maintaining balance.

Its anatomy includes the outer ear, middle ear,

and inner ear,
 EAR DIAGRAM
Ear has three regions
outer
middle
inner
Outer and middle are
concerned with the
transmission of sound
to the inner
ear
Inner ear converts
sound to fluid motion
and then to electrical
impulses (action
potentials)
EAR DIAGRAM
 3 PARTS OF THE EAR
• Outer ear-Pinna, external auditory canal,
tympanic membrane

• Middle ear-Eustachian tube,

• Tympanic cavity and its contents like
3 ossicles,muscles, ligaments, mucosal
folds,meatus and air cell system.
• Inner ear- round and oval window ,Cochlea,
Vestibular apparatus (vestibule and
semicircular canal.)
 OUTER EAR(PINNA OR AURICLE)
• 1. Pinna: the visible
flap of skin on our
heads, collects &
funnels sound waves
into our auditory canal.

• 2. Auditory canal: the

length & shape cause it
to resonate in response
to frequencies entering
the ear.
 Middle ear
• Ossicles: the malleus (hammer),
the incus (anvil), & the stapes
(stirrup) vibrate. These bones
transmit the vibration from the
middle ear to the inner ear.
Muscles:
Stapes triggers vibrations of the Tensor tympanic and stapedius
muscles
oval window which moves the Are attached to the ossicle to
fluid of the cochlea. regulate their movements

Ossicles conduct the sound

from the ear
drum to the oval window.
 INNER EAR
Cochlea: is the snail-shaped structure harbours Organ
of Corti that contains tiny hair cells(sensory receptor)
called auditory receptors for hearing.
As the pressure waves move through the cochlear
fluid, they cause the hair cells to bend
The hair cells within the organ of Corti convert
mechanical vibrations into electrical signals that are
transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve.
• Brain then processes these signals and interprets
them
• Cochlea has 3 fluid filled chambers:
• scala vestibuli, scala tympani, & scala mediaund.
 Outer ear
• The outer ear consists of the pinna (auricle)
and the external auditory canal (meatus).
• The pinna is the visible part of the ear on the
outside of the head. It helps to collect sound
waves and funnel them into the ear canal.
• The external auditory canal is a tube-like
structure that extends from the pinna to the
tympanic membrane (eardrum). It is lined
with skin and contains cerumen (earwax),
which helps to protect the ear canal
 PATHWAY OF SOUND AND HEARING
When sound waves enter the ear canal, they cause vibrations in the
tympanic membrane,
Sound waves from tympanic membrane, vibrates
• Auditory ossicles conduct the vibration into the inner ear
– Tensor tympani and stapedius muscles contract to reduce the
amount of movement when loud sounds arrive
• Oval window transmits sounds to cochlea
• Round window regulates pressure within the cochlea(ensuring the proper
function of the inner ear in converting mechanical vibrations into auditory signals.)

• Vibration of basilar membrane

• Stimulation of hair cells located in the organ of Corti,
• convert sound waves into electrical signals, which are then
transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve.
Ventral cochlear nucleus to superior olive to nucleus of lateral meniscus to inferior
colliculus to MGN to auditory cortex
SOUND AND HEARING DIAGRAM
 FLOW CHART FOR SOUND AND
Sound waves
– HEARING
travel via tympanic membrane
– vibrates Ossicles
– Via oval/round window
vibrations enter

– Cochlea nerve

– Cochlea nucleus

– Superior olivary complex(medulla)

– Nucleus of lateral menisus(pons)
– Inferior colliculi(mid brain)

– Medial geniculate body(thalamus)

Cerebrum(temporal lobe)
DIAGRAM 1A:SOUND AND HEARING PATHWAY
 Middle ear
• The middle ear is an air-filled space located
behind the eardrum.
• It contains three small bones known as the
ossicles: the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil),
and stapes (stirrup). These bones transmit
sound vibrations from the eardrum to the
inner ear.
• The middle ear is connected to the
nasopharynx by the Eustachian tube (auditory
tube), which helps to equalize air pressure
between the middle ear and the environment.
 Inner ear
• The inner ear is a complex structure that contains the organs
responsible for hearing (cochlea) and balance (vestibular
system).
• The cochlea is a spiral-shaped, fluid-filled structure that
contains the sensory cells (hair cells) responsible for detectin
sound vibrations. These hair cells convert sound waves into
electrical signals, which are then transmitted to the brain via
the auditory nerve.
• The vestibular system consists of three semicircular canals
and the otolithic organs (utricle and saccule). These structure
are involved in detecting head movements and maintaining
balance.
• The vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) carries sensory
information from the inner ear to the brain.
 BLOOD SUPPLY OF THE EXTERNAL EAR.

• Auriculo-temporal branch of superficial

temporal artery.
• Posterior auricular branch of the external
carotid artery.
 LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

• * Anteriorly -Pre auricular Lymph Node

• * Posteriorly -Post auricular Lymph Node
• * Inferiorly- Infra auricular Lymph Node
 THE AUDITORY PATHWAY

Ear--cochlear nucleus—superior olivary nucleus

(medulla)—inferior colliculus (midbrain)—
medial geniculate nucleus (Thalamus)—
Primary auditory cortex.
• -Info from ear to the contralateral hemisphere
is dominant.
• -Auditory cortex is tonotopically organized,
 THE AUDITORY PATHWAY (FLOW CHART)
• Ear

• cochlear nucleus

• superior olivary nucleus (medulla)

• —
• inferior colliculus (midbrain)

• medial geniculate nucleus (Thalamus)

• Primary auditory cortex(Temporal lobe)

THE AUDITORY PATHWAY
DIAGRAM