Exercise 25 & 27
ear ossicles from tympanic membrane to oval window
malleus, incus, and stapes
Material must be in solution for it to be perceived by the gustatory receptors. What process is used to perceive a lipid-based food such as garlic or peppermint?
Olfaction. There are five sensations of taste that are receptive to water soluble materials. Lipid-based materials such as mint oil or garlic oil are sensed by olfaction(smell).
Where are the tastes buds located?
On the sides of the tongue papillae
What are the 3 general regions of the ear?
Outer, middle and inner ear
Some smells that we perceive as 2 separate smells are actually identical. What are the other cues that we use to distinguish these "two" smells as being distinct?
Sight is a common sense used to help identify smell. The red "cherry" or "white" almond smell are examples of this.
all parts of the inner ear
cochlea, vestibule, semicircular ducts
name the parts of the ear that might be impaired if a person demonstrates conduction deafness
damage to the tympanic membrane or the ear ossicles produces conduction deafness
What units are used to measure sound energy?
decibels
function of the cochlea
hearing
Name the 3 ear ossicles?
malleus, incus and stapes
what area is found between the scala vestibule and the scala tympani?
scala media (cochlear duct)
What are the primary tastes?
sweet, sour, salty, bitter umami
what two diagnostic tests are used to determine conduction deafness?
the Weber test and Rinne test
what tube between the middle ear and the nasopharynx is responsible for the equalization of pressure when you change elevation?
the auditory tube
what is the name of the canal that runs from the auricle to the tympanic membrane?
the external auditory meatus runs from the auricle to the tympanic membrane
The pinna of the ear consists of what two main parts?
the helix and the earlobe (lobule)
what part of the inner ear is involved in transmitting signals of static equilibrium?
the vestibule
What is the name of the nerve that carries signals from the cochlea and vestibule to the brain?
the vestibulocochlear nerve
Background noise affects hearing tests. In the ticking watch test or audiometer test, what kind of result, in terms of auditory sensitivity, would you have recorded if moderate background noise were present?
there would be a significant decrease in the individual's auditory sensitivity
what is the name of the space that encloses the ear ossicles
tympanic cavity
the auditory tube connects what two cavities?
tympanic cavity to the nasopharynx
The ear preforms two major sensory functions. What are they?
hearing and equilibrium
Some individuals with severe sinus infections can lose their senses of smell. How can an infection that spreads from the frontal or maxillary sinus impair the sense of smell? What structure or structures might be affected?
An infection in the frontal or maxillary sinus could spread to the ethmoid bone, which houses the olfactory nerves. If these nerves are damaged severely then the sense of smell could be permanently affected.
In the Weber test, the ear that perceives the sound as being louder is the deaf ear. Why is this the case?
Because there is conduction deafness, and it is believed that ambient sound is prevented from getting to the cochlea on the blocked side, causing the nervous system to amplify sounds on that side by sensitizing cochlear transduction.
How does a cold (rhinovirus) influence our perception of the flavor of food?
Much of taste is actually smell. A cold can reduce the sense of smell, which is commonly perceived as reduction in the sense of taste.
Does adaptation to one smell influence the adaptation to another smell?
No, the adaptation to one smell does no diminish the ability to sense another smell.
Can you determine the evolutionary advantage of having taste buds that determine unpleasant bitter compounds in many plant species?
The adaptation is valuable in that bitter compounds are frequently poisonous in plants.
To what sense modality or modalities does the ear respond?
The ear is a mechanoreceptor. It interprets sound and equilibrium.
What is the exact region of the nasal cavity receptive to smell stimuli?
The olfactory epithelium is receptive to the sense of smell.
Describe the pathway of smell from the olfactory receptors to the brain?
The olfactory receptors take the sense of smell to the olfactory nerves, then to the tracts and finally the brain
Why does material have to be in solution for it to be sensed as taste?
The taste buds are located along the sides of the tongue papillae. Material must be in solution to get to the taste pores in order to be perceived as taste.
What structures are involved in taking the sense of taste from the taste buds to the brain?
The taste buds transmit the information to the facial and glossopharyngeal nerves, which travel to the brain.
What structure separates the outer ear from the middle ear?
The tympanic membrane separates the external ear from the middle ear.
