The human ear has three main parts - the outer, middle, and inner ear. The outer ear collects sound waves and directs them through the external auditory meatus into the middle ear, which contains three small bones that transmit vibrations to the inner ear. The inner ear contains the cochlea, which converts sound waves into neural signals via hair cells, and sends these signals through the auditory nerve to the brainstem and temporal lobe for processing and interpretation of sounds. Damage to parts of the ear like the cochlear nerve or hair cells can cause hearing loss or difficulties localizing sounds.

1. Human Ear
SCK

2. Objectives
At the end of this lecture you will know
• The structure of the human ear
• Its different parts
• Bones of the ear
• Auditory Pathway
• Applied physiology

3. Parts of the ear
Three parts
• External Ear
• Middle Ear
• Inner Ear

4. External Ear
Formed by two parts:
1. Auricle or Pinna: fibrocartilaginous plates
covered by connective tissue and skin. The plate
is characteristically folded and ridged. The
depression of the auricle which forms the orifice
of the external acoustic meatus is called concha.
2. External Auditory Meatus: starts from the
concha and extends inside as a slightly curved
canal, with a length of about 55mm. Consists of
two parts 1.Outer cartilaginous part 2. inner
bony part

5. MIDDLE EAR
• Also known as tympanic cavity is a small, narrow,
irregular laterally compressed chamber, situated
within the temporal lobe.
• It is separated from the external auditory meatus by
tympanic membrane.
• It consists of the following structures:
1. Auditory ossicles three small bones called the
MALLEUS, INCUS and STAPES.
2. Auditory muscles:
A. Tensor Tympani Muscle
B. Stapedius Muscle

6. Eustachian tube
• Extending from middle ear to nasopaharynx.
• Connects middle ear with posterior part of
nose and forms the passage of air between
middle ear and atmosphere, so the pressure
on both sides of ear is equalized.

7. INTERNAL EAR
• Also known as labyrinth. It is a membranous
structure, enclosed in a bony labyrinth in the
temporal bone.
• It contains the sensory organs for hearing and
balance/equilibrium.
• For hearing, sense organs are present in the
cochlear part.
• For equilibrium, sense organs are present in
the vestibular apparatus.

8. COCHLEA
• Is a coiled structure like a snail’s shell. It has
two compartments
1. Basilar membrane
2. Vestibular membrane

9. ORGAN OF CORTI
• Is the receptor organ for hearing. It extends along
the full length of COCHLEA except at either ends.
• Structurally it is made up of sensory elements
called hair cells and supporting cells.
• There are 10 cells present in the organ of Corti
arranged in order from center to periphery.

10. AUDITORY PATHWAY
• Fibers of auditory pathway pass through cochlear
division of vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII cranial
nerve).
• It is also known as auditory nerve.
• Major part of the auditory pathway lies in
medulla oblongata, midbrain and thalamic
region.
• Higher center for hearing is in temporal lobe of
cerebral cortex, where the fibers of auditory
pathway finally terminate.

12. RECEPTORS
• Hair cells in the ORGAN of CORTI are the
receptors of auditory sensation.
• Hair cells are of two types Outer Hair cells
and Inner Hair cells

13. 1ST ORDER NEURON
• Are the bipolar cells of spiral ganglion, situated in
cochlea.
• Dendrites of the bipolar cells are afferent nerve
fibers scattered in the Organ of Corti.
• Their long processes (axon) leave the ear as
cochlear nerve fibers and enter medulla
oblongata.
• These divide into two groups in the medulla
VENTRAL COCHLEAR nucleus AND DORSAL
COCHLEAR nucleus in the same side in medulla.

14. 2nd Order Neuron
• Neurons of dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei
in the medulla oblongata form the second
order neurons of auditory pathway. Axons of
the second order neurons run in four different
groups:

15. 1. First group of fibers cross the midline and run to the opposite side, to form trapezoid body.
Fibers from trapezoid body go to the superior olivary nucleus.
2. Second group of fibers terminate at superior olivary nucleus of same side via trapezoid
body of the same side.
3. Third group of fibers run in lateral lemniscus of the same side and terminate in nucleus of
lateral lemniscus of same side.
4. Fourth group of fibers run into reticular formation, cross the midline as intermediate
trapezoid fibers and finally join the nucleus of lateral lemniscus of opposite side.

16. 3rd ORDER NEURON
• Third order neurons are in the superior olivary
nuclei and nucleus of lateral lemniscus.
• Fibers of the third order neurons end in medial
geniculate body, which forms the subcortical
auditory center.
• Fibers from medial geniculate body go to the temporal
cortex, via internal capsule as auditory radiations.
• Some fibers from medial geniculate body go to
inferior colliculus of tectum in midbrain.
• The fibers of auditory radiation are involved in reflex
movement of head, in response to auditory stimuli.

17. CORTICAL AUDITORY CENTERS
• They are in the located in the temporal lobe of cerebral cortex.
• Auditory areas are
1. Primary auditory area 41, area 42 and Wernicke's area.
2. Secondary auditory area is 22
• Areas 41 and 42 are the primary auditory areas situated in the anterior
transverse gyrus and lateral surface of superior temporal gyrus.
• Wernicke area is in upper part of superior temporal gyrus, posterior to 41
and 42.
• Area 22 occupies the superior temporal gyrus

18. FUNCTION OF CORTICAL AUDITORY
CENTERS
• Perception of auditory impulses, analysis of pitch
and intensity of sound and determination of source
of sound.
• Areas 41 and 42 are concerned with the perception
of auditory impulses only.
• Analysis and interpretation of sound are carried out
by Wernicke area, with the help of area 22.

19. APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
1. Lesion of cochlear nerve causes deafness of the
ear.
2. Unilateral lesion of auditory pathway, above the
level of cochlear nuclei causes diminished hearing.
3. Degeneration of hair cells in the organ of Corti
leads to presbycusis. Presbycusis is the gradual
loss of hearing. It is common in old age.
4. Lesion in superior olivary nucleus results in poor
localization of sound.