Special Sub-Topic: All About Ears 2 Click Here To Play: All About Ears 2

This Harvard physiologist won a Nobel Prize for his work with cochlear mechanics.

von Bekesy. Georg von Bekesy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1961. He was a professor at Harvard University at the time of the award.

The membranous labyrinth is filled with what type of fluid?

endolymph. The fluid composition of the inner ear "drives" hearing. Endolymph is similar in composition to cerebrospinal fluid.

This rapid back and forth movement of the eyes is associated with vertigo.

nystagmus. Most people do not realize that the inner ear also has a vestibular portion responsible for balance and eye stabilization.

Identify one of the membranes that separates the bony labyrinth from the membranous labyrinth.

Basilar Membrane. The basilar membrane serves as the floor of the membranous labyrinth and supports the Organ of Corti, or end organ of hearing. The other membrane at the top is known as Reissner's membrane but that wasn't a choice for this question!

The flaccid portion of the tympanic membrane is referred to as:

Shrapnell's Membrane. This membrane is the small, triangular, flaccid portion of the tympanic membrane lying above the malleolar folds, attached directly to the petrous bone at the notch of Rivinus. It is named after Henry Jones Shrapnell.

These nerves carry impulses from the cochlea to the brain.

afferent. Afferent nerves carry information from any periphery site to the brain while efferent nerves carry impulses from the brain to the periphery.

This bone is the largest in the ossicular chain.

malleus. The malleus is the largest and is embedded in the tympanic membrane.

This organ provides nutrients to the cochlea.

stria vascularis. The stria vascularis secretes endolymph to ensure the proper balance of fluids is maintained within the cochlear duct.

This is the term for the cochlear turn that protrudes into the middle ear space.

promontory. The promontory is the first turn of the cochlea which protrudes into the middle ear space between the oval and round windows.

The temporal bone has five sections of varying density. Which portion is the hardest?

petrous. The hardest portion, petrous, also protects the inner ear.