IHS Anatomy and Physiology of Hearing 2

Question 1

Which structure in the inner ear is responsible for converting mechanical vibrations into electrical signals?

Accepted Answer

Organ of Corti

Answer

The Organ of Corti, located in the cochlea, contains hair cells that transduce mechanical vibrations into neural electrical signals.

Question 2

The tonotopic organization of the cochlea means that:

Accepted Answer

Low frequencies are processed at the apex and high at the base

Answer

The cochlear base responds to high frequencies while the apex responds to low frequencies, a spatial arrangement called tonotopy.

Question 3

What is the primary function of the Eustachian tube?

Accepted Answer

Equalize air pressure between the middle ear and nasopharynx

Answer

The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx, allowing pressure equalization on both sides of the tympanic membrane.

Question 4

Which type of hair cells are most numerous in the cochlea and primarily responsible for amplification?

Accepted Answer

Outer hair cells

Answer

Outer hair cells (approximately 12,000) act as a cochlear amplifier by actively changing length, boosting sensitivity and frequency selectivity.

Question 5

The scala vestibuli and scala tympani are filled with:

Accepted Answer

Perilymph

Answer

Perilymph, which resembles extracellular fluid in ionic composition, fills both the scala vestibuli and scala tympani.

IHS - International Hearing Society Practice Test