Lecture Outline: Structure & Function of Auditory System (SLHS 2010)

Role of the auditory system in the speech chain

What speech information needs to be relayed to the brain of the listener?
Primary Division of the Auditory System:
*Peripheral Auditory System
Transition
*Central Auditory System
What is the function of the peripheral system? Central system?
Which involved in sound reception? Perception?
PERIPHERAL AUDITORY SYSTEM
CONDUCTION v. TRANSDUCTION
What are these 2 processes? What portions of ear involved?
CONDUCTIVE SYSTEM
OUTER EAR - ANATOMY
Key structures:
Pinna & concha (specific role of these structures?)
External auditory canal (specific role of structure?)
Whats the shape of the canal? Average length?
OUTER EAR PHYSIOLOGY
In addition to key role in sound conduction, outer ear also involved in 3 other processes:
1. PROTECTION
2. LOCALIZATION
What 2 cues does auditory system use to determine sound location?
3. RESONANCE
External auditory canal open-closed tube what formula use?
Whats resonance of 2.5 cm ear canal (Speed of sound = 350 m/s)?
Ear canal amplifies frequencies b/t 2000-5000 Hz.
Why resonate mid-FREQUENCIES best? Transfer function of outer ear.
Transition b/t outer ear and middle ear: TYMPANIC MEMBRANE. Role of TM?
MIDDLE EAR: ANATOMY
Air filled space (6 cm3) lined with mucous membrane
Key Structures:
Ossicles: Malleus, Incus, Stapes
Eustachian Tube (role of Eustachian Tube? Normally closed when open; how open)?
Transitions: Oval and Round Window
OSSICLES
Malleus; Incus and Stapes
Features of ossicles:
Dense; move very fast; Transmit vibrations on TM to oval window
Mechanical linkage between TM & oval window

Lecture Outline: Structure & Function of Auditory System (SLHS 2010)

MIDDLE EAR: PHYSIOLOGY
1. Impedance matcher
2. Protects (?) against loud sounds via acoustic reflex: Controversial.
IMPEDANCE -- What is impedance?
KEY IDEA: Different mediums different impedances. Efficient flow of energy
requires SIMILAR impedances. Is impedance of air and fluid similar? How apply to
auditory system.
IMPEDANCE MISMATCH -- What if no outer/middle ear & sound travels directly from environment
to cochlea? (Whats energy loss?)
Middle ear impedance matcher (helps overcome mismatch so adequate transmission of energy)
How is middle ear an impedance matcher?
Surface area differences between TM & oval window
REMEMBER: P = F / A
Pressure & area INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL
Force at TM = Force at OW
How does pressure change due to difference in areas.
Surface of TM is approx. 17xs greater than OW
CONDUCTIVE SYSTEM: KEY FUNCTIONS
Outer Ear Functions
Collects/Funnels Sound from
Enviro
Protection
Localization
ITD
ILD
Resonance

Middle Ear Functions

Pressure Equalizer
Mechanically links OE to IE
Amplifies sound (impedance
matcher)
Surface area diff. (TM &
OW)
Protects IE (controversial)

TRANSDUCTION SYSTEM what is transduction? How does ear transduce energy?

ACOUSTIC MECHANICAL ELECTROCHEMICAL (neural) ENERGY
INNER EAR ANATOMY
2 main anatomical divisions:
Semicircular canals
Contain balance organ
Vestibular System
Cochlea what is the primary function of the cochlea?
Why important?
Key features of cochlea
Contains hearing organ
Fluid filled
Snail-like shape (2 turns)
Chambers in temporal bone

Turns of cochlea

Lecture Outline: Structure & Function of Auditory System (SLHS 2010)

COCHLEAR ANATOMY
Base of cochlea
Apex of cochlea
Scala vestibule
Scala media (cochlear duct)
Scala tympani
Helicotrema
Round Window
Oval window
Basilar Membrane
Organ of Corti
Hair cells

Cochlea Unrolled

From ME to cochlea:
*Vibration of stapes sets OW into vibration
*Movement of OW disturbs cochlear fluids.
*However, cochlear fluids CANT be
compressed.
*Something in cochlea has to give -- what
gives is basilar membrane.
*Basilar membrane moves down when OW
pushed in & moves up when OW pulled out.
Interior of Cochlea
COCHLEAR PHYSIOLOGY
Traveling wave:
Pattern of movement along BM
Each pure tone component in sound
causes a traveling wave along BM
PROVIDES INFO ABOUT:
AMPLITUDE OF SOUND
FREQUENCY OF SOUND
How? Traveling waves look different!
How is amplitude distinguished by the traveling wave?
How is frequency distinguished by the traveling wave?
Where do high frequencies peak? Low frequencies?

Lecture Outline: Structure & Function of Auditory System (SLHS 2010)

What is TONOTOPIC ORGANIZATION?
What contributes to tonotopic organization?
Mechanical properties of BM
1st property: Stiffness Gradient
Base is stiff; Apex is less stiff
nd
2 property: Width of BM
Base is narrow; Apex is wide
Properties of BM: Cochlea Freq (spectral) analyzer

Lecture Outline: Structure & Function of Auditory System (SLHS 2010)

But how link vibration of basilar membrane (still mechanical) to transduction into neural signals
(signals that can be processed by nervous system)?
Conversion of Mechanical Motion to Electrical Impulses
KEY STRUCTURES IN TRANSDUCTION
Organ of Corti (spiral organ) organ of hearing
Four rows of hair cells (stereocilia)
1 inner row (~3500 cells)
3 outer rows (~12000 cells)
Tectorial membrane
PHYSIOLOGY OF TRANSDUCTION
Stapes pumps in & out of cochlea, basilar membrane vibrates
(tonotopically).
Consequently, structures sitting on top of basilar membrane
vibrate. In particular, organ of corti & hair cells within it vibrate.
Vibration of hair cells cause stereocilia to bend (sheared by
tectorial membrane).
Bending causes change in the cells polarity
Polarity changes result in release of neurotransmitter at bottom
of hair cell causes nerve fibers in Auditory (8th) nerve to fire.

FUNCTION OF HAIR CELLS

Inner v. outer hair cells
Otoacoustic emissions
What are they?
Where produced?

Why important to maximally separate out frequencies (e.g. whats role of outer hair cells).
http://www.utdallas.edu/~loizou/cimplants/cdemos.htm

Microphone picks up sound & sends

info to speech processor
Speech processor digitally encodes
sound & sends it to transmitter
The transmitter sends info across skin
via FM radio frequency to
receiver/stimulator
The receiver/stimulator presents info
to auditory nerve in form of tiny
electrical pulses
WHAT FUNCTION IS BEING
REPLACED?

Lecture Outline: Structure & Function of Auditory System (SLHS 2010)

Auditory system & noise exposure
Amount of damage depends on
TIME in noisy environments (duration)
LEVEL of noise exposed to
Important facts about noise exposure:
1 of leading causes of hearing loss in younger pop.
GRADUAL AND PAINLESS
PREVENTION IS KEY!
SIGNS OF NOISE EXPOSURE
Must raise your voice to be heard
Cant hear someone at a distance of 2-3 feet away from you
Speech sounds muffled or dull after leaving the noisy area
Experience pain or ringing after the noise exposure
What is the 5-dB Rule?
Transition from periphery to central system AUDITORY NERVE (VIII nerve)
CENTRAL AUDITORY SYSTEM
What is primary role in speech chain?
KEY DISTINCTIONS IN CANS:
1. Afferent v. efferent fibers
Difference between fibers think about how travel.
2. Ipsilateral v. contralateral transmission

KEY STRUCTURES IN TRANSMISSION FROM ear to brain.

Recognize: no one fiber extends all the way from cochlea to auditory cortex.
Instead, make connections with other nerve fibers along way (synaptic junction).
From auditory nerve
*cochlear nucleus where travel via specialized nerve tract to
*superior olivary complex (occurs at level of brainstem) through midbrain
* synapse in medial geniculate body (thalamic level)
*on to the auditory cortex
How are following sound properties conveyed to brain (after encoded by IE & sent via CANS)?
FREQUENCY
AMPLITUDE
TIMING