Ears (histo) - clinical questions
A 42-year-old woman complains of attacks of loss of balance and spinning sensation (vertigo). She states that nausea, vomiting, and hearing loss, lasting about 24 hours, accompany these intermittent attacks. She has experienced several of these episodes over the past year. The patient is subsequently diagnosed with Ménière disease. Which of the following mechanisms of disease is most likely responsible for this patient's symptoms? (A) Degeneration of the hair cells in the crista ampullaris (B) Dilation of the endolymphatic system (C) Injury of cranial nerve VIII (D) Labyrinth toxicity (E) Viral labyrinthitis
(B) Dilation of the endolymphatic system
A 36-year-old woman complains about progressive hearing loss in the last year and is diagnosed with otosclerosis. Otosclerosis primarily affects which of the following structures of the ear, leading to impaired hearing? (A) Auditory ossicles (B) Auditory tube (C) Cochlear labyrinth (D) Tympanic membrane (E) Vestibular labyrinth
Auditory ossicles
You are invited to attend an outdoor concert in the park during the summer. Your ear detects delightful changes in the frequency of sound vibrations (notes with different pitch). Which of the following structures in the internal ear encodes this frequency-based acoustic information and converts it into nerve impulses that are conveyed to the brain? (A) Basilar membrane (B) Crista ampullaris (C) Macula of saccule (D) Macula of utricle (E) Vestibular membrane
Basilar membrane
The auditory tube described in Question 38 is lined by which of the following types of epithelium? (A) Ciliated pseudostratified columnar (B) Simple cuboidal (C) Simple squamous (D) Stratified columnar (E) Stratified squamous
Ciliated pseudostratified columnar
Which of the following types of cells initiates neuronal transduction during sound perception? (A) Hair cells of the crista ampullaris (B) Hair cells of the macula of utricle (C) Hair cells of the spiral organ of Corti (D) Phalangeal cells (E) Pillar cells
Hair cells of the spiral organ of Corti
A 6-year-old boy who does not respond when his mother calls him is brought in for evaluation. Large earwax masses are found to be plugging both of his ears. The major component of earwax, cerumen, is produced by which of the following structures in the external acoustic meatus? (A) Cartilage tissue (B) Eccrine sweat gland (C) Modified apocrine sweat gland (D) Hair follicle (E) Tympanic membrane
Modified apocrine sweat gland
In the image shown for Question 50, identify the three cells indicated by the arrows. (A) Hensen cells (B) Inner hair cells (C) Outer hair cells (D) Phalangeal cells (E) Pillar cells
Outer hair cells
Which of the following structures transforms vibrations of the ossicles into waves of fluid in the cochlea? (A) Ampullae of semicircular ducts (B) Oval window (C) Round window (D) Saccule (E) Utricle
Oval window
Cells in which of the following structures produce endolymph in the scala media? (A) Basilar membrane (B) Organ of Corti (C) Periosteum (D) Stria vascularis (E) Vestibular membrane
Stria vascularis
The ampulla of the semicircular duct described in Question 41 is examined at high magnification (shown in the image). Identify the cells indicated by the arrows. (A) Afferent neurons (B) Schwann cells (C) Supporting cells (D) Type I hair cells (E) Type II hair cells
Supporting cells
An 18-year-old man experiences seasickness while on a deep-sea fishing excursion. Overstimulation of which of the following structures causes vertigo in this patient? (A) Cochlear labyrinth (B) Crista ampullaris (C) Macula (D) Organ of Corti (E) Semicircular ducts
macula
An epithelial thickening is found in another region of the membranous labyrinth (indicated in the rectangular box, shown in the image). Which of the following terms describes histological features of this epithelial receptor (A) Crista ampullaris (B) Macula (C) Organ of Corti (D) Saccule (E) Utricle
macula
The mother of an 18-month-old girl complains that her daughter has a fever, cough, and nasal discharge. Physical examination reveals an upper respiratory tract infection and a bulging tympanic membrane. The patient is subsequently diagnosed with otitis media secondary to an upper respiratory tract infection. The infection and inflammation in this patient affect which of the following areas of the ear? (A) Cochlear labyrinth (B) External acoustic meatus (C) Semicircular canal (D) Tympanic cavity (E) Vestibular labyrinth
tympanic cavity
