Auditory nervous system: The auditory nerve runs from the
cochlea to a station in the brainstem
(known as nucleus). From that station, neural impulses travel to the brain – specifically the temporal lobe where sound is attached meaning and we HEAR.
How is sound transmitted to the brain?
Bending causes pore-like channels, which are at the tips of the stereocilia, to open up. When that happens, chemicals rush into the cells, creating an electrical signal.
The auditory nerve
carries this electrical signal to the brain, which turns it into a sound that we recognize and understand.
How are auditory stimuli transmitted to the brain?
Nerve impulses are transmitted from the ear to the brain
via the auditory nerves
, one of the several sensory nerves that exists in the group of nerves known as cranial nerves. The auditory nerves connect the nerve impulses of the ears to the upper “temporal lobe” of the “cerebral cortex”.
What carries auditory information to the brain?
Auditory messages are conveyed to the brain via two types of pathway: the
primary auditory pathway
How does the ear send messages to the brain?
The cochlea is filled with a fluid that moves in response to the vibrations from the oval window. As the fluid moves, 25,000 nerve endings are set into motion. These nerve endings transform the vibrations into electrical impulses that then travel along the
eighth cranial nerve
(auditory nerve) to the brain.
Which ear is connected to the brain?
The inner ear includes the cochlea (say: KOH-klee-uh) and the semicircular canals. The snail-shaped cochlea changes the vibrations from the middle ear into nerve signals. These signals travel to the brain along the cochlear nerve, also known as the auditory nerve.
What is the main function of auditory nerve?
The cochlear nerve, also known as the acoustic or auditory nerve, is the cranial nerve
responsible for hearing
. It travels from the inner ear to the brainstem and out through a bone located on the side of the skull called the temporal bone.
What organs are in the auditory system?
The auditory system is the sensory system for the sense of hearing. It includes both the sensory organs
(the ears)
and the auditory parts of the sensory system.
What part of your brain controls thinking?
The largest part of the brain, the
cerebrum
initiates and coordinates movement and regulates temperature. Other areas of the cerebrum enable speech, judgment, thinking and reasoning, problem-solving, emotions and learning. Other functions relate to vision, hearing, touch and other senses.
What happens if the auditory nerve is damaged?
When the auditory nerve is damaged, the primary symptoms are
sensorineural deafness and/or vertigo
. The auditory nerve is the 8
th
cranial nerve. It connects the inner ear to the brain. The auditory nerve divides into two branches: the cochlear nerve and the vestibular nerve.
Which part of the ear is responsible for maintaining balance?
The inner ear is composed of two parts: the cochlea for hearing and
the vestibular system
for balance. The vestibular system is made up of a network of looped tubes, three in each ear, called the semicircular canals.
How is hearing different from listening?
Merriam-Webster defines hearing as the “process, function, or power of perceiving sound; specifically: the special sense by which noises and tones are received as stimuli.” Listening, on the other hand, means “
to pay attention to sound
; to hear something with thoughtful attention; and to give consideration.”
What body systems are affected by hearing loss?
Hearing loss can also be classified based on which portions of the
hearing system (auditory system)
are affected. When the nervous system is affected, it is referred to as sensorineural hearing loss.
Can a bug crawl in your ear to your brain?
Keep Calm. If you feel the panic mounting, don’t worry. If an insect does crawl into your nose or ear, the worst thing that can happen is
an infection
(rarely, it can spread from the sinuses to the brain).
Remember: Hearing is
a brain activity
(sometimes referred to as “brain hearing”). Your ears deliver sound as electrical impulses via the auditory nerve, but it’s within your brain that these electrical impulses are translated into what we recognize as sound.
Do you hear with your ears or your brain?
The brain
also amplifies the volume of our own speech, boosting the sounds we make to enable us to hear our own voices clearly. Think of it this way: the ears are a delivery system, but the brain is the true workhorse, responsible for turning a jumble of noise into coherent messaging.
