SPA 3101 Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering the anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism, designed to assist students in preparing for their exam.

What are the two classifications of articulators based on mobility?

Mobile (Active) and Immobile (Passive)

List the mobile articulators.

Tongue tip, blade, dorsum, root, jaw (mandible), velum (soft palate), lips/cheeks, larynx/hyoid bone.

What are the immobile (passive) articulators?

Alveolar ridge, hard palate, teeth, posterior pharyngeal wall.

What is the only movable bone in the face skeleton?

Mandible.

What does the maxilla form?

The upper jaw, roof of the mouth, floor of the nasal cavity, walls of the nasal cavity.

What does a cleft palate result from?

Failure of the two pieces of the maxilla to fuse properly.

What is the primary feature of the nasal bone?

It forms the bridge of the nose.

What do the palatine bones form?

The posterior part of the hard palate.

What is the function of the inferior nasal conchae?

They are scroll-like bones that create turbulence for airflow in the nasal cavity.

What does the vomer bone do?

Divides the nasal cavity into two halves and makes up part of the nasal septum.

What bone underlies the prominence of the cheeks?

Zygomatic bone.

What does the lacrimal bone form?

Part of the medial walls of the orbital cavities.

What are the bones that create the cranial cavity?

Ethmoid, sphenoid, frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal bones.

What are the key features of the ethmoid bone?

It is located between the orbital plates of the frontal bone and forms part of the superior nasal sinus.

What is the shape of the sphenoid bone?

Butterfly-shaped.

What features are associated with the frontal bone?

Forms the front of the skull and articulates with the zygomatic processes.

What are the parietal bones joined by?

The sagittal suture.

What is the function of the occipital bone?

Forms the posterior and inferior wall of the skull.

What does the foramen magnum do?

Allows the spinal cord to pass through.

What is the role of the temporal bones?

Forms the inferior sides of the skull.

What are the four processes of the temporal bone?

Zygomatic, mastoid, styloid, and squamous processes.

What defines the buccal cavity?

Sides of the mouth, extending from the lips to the area behind the third molar.

What are the boundaries of the oral cavity?

Teeth (anterior, lateral), faucial pillars (posteriorly), hard palate (superiorly), tongue (inferiorly).

What defines the pharyngeal cavity?

Approximately 12 cm long, includes nasopharynx, oropharynx, and laryngopharynx.

What muscles control the shape of the mouth?

Muscles of the lower face.

What is the function of the orbicularis oris muscle?

Surrounds the lips and is an insertion point for most other muscles.

What is the innervation of the buccinator muscle?

CN VII (Facial).

What does the zygomatic major muscle do?

Draws the corner of lips up and laterally, as in smiling.

Where does the depressor anguli oris insert?

Corners of the orbicularis oris.

What is the primary purpose of the tongue?

It is involved in articulation, swallowing, and taste.

What are the five divisions of the tongue?

Tip, blade, dorsum, body, root.

What does the genioglossus do?

Anterior fibers pull the tongue body down, posterior fibers pull it forward.

How does the levator veli palatini affect the soft palate?

Elevates it vertically and posteriorly.

What is the role of the tensor veli palatini?

Opens the Eustachian tube, equalizing pressure in the middle ear.

What muscle constricts the upper pharynx during swallowing?

Superior pharyngeal constrictor.

What are the four types of teeth in the dental arches?

Incisors, cuspids, bicuspids, molars.

What is the function of the middle ear?

Matches the air-borne acoustic signal with the fluid medium of the cochlea.

What are the three smallest bones of the body found in the middle ear?

Ossicles: malleus, incus, stapes.

What does the stapes attach to?

Footplate attaches to the oval window.

What is the structural role of the tympanic membrane?

It transmits vibrations from the outer ear to the ossicles.

Where does the auditory information from the cochlea first go?

Cochlear nucleus.

What is tonotopic organization?

Arrangement of frequency sensitivity from high frequency at the base to low frequency at the apex.

What is the function of the primary auditory cortex?

Initial processing area for auditory information and responsible for sound perception and analysis.

What happens to VIII nerve fiber firing when stimulated by sound?

Increases to high rates, tapering off when the stimulus stops.

What does the traveling wave in the cochlea produce?

It causes displacement of the basilar membrane, activating hair cells.

What is responsible for the conversion of sound energy in the ear?

Transduction in the cochlea, converting mechanical energy into electrochemical energy.

What is the role of auditory feedback in speech?

It assists in achieving articulatory goals.

What happens if the ossicular chain is not functioning properly?

Sound transmission to the inner ear is compromised.

What does the acoustic reflex accomplish?

Protects the inner ear from loud sounds by contracting the muscles around the ossicles.

Where does the auditory pathway lead from the cochlea?

To the cochlear nucleus, then up to the cerebral cortex.

What auditory structure is crucial for integrative sound processing?

Inferior colliculus.

What do hair cells in the cochlea do?

They convert pressure waves into neural signals.

How does the inner ear contribute to balance?

By sensing head position and movement.

What is a common cause of conductive hearing loss?

Issues in the outer or middle ear affecting sound transmission.

What is a common feature of sensorineural hearing loss?

It is often permanent and involves damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve.

How does the brainstem contribute to sound localization?

By processing interaural time and level differences.

What is the physiological process of hearing called?

Transduction.

Name the structures that make up the inner ear.

Cochlea and vestibular system.

What are stereocilia?

Hair-like projections on hair cells that respond to fluid movement.

What is the primary role of the organ of Corti?

It houses the sensory receptors for hearing.

What type of feedback is involved in achieving articulatory goals?

Somatosensory feedback.

What is the Eustachian tube's role?

Equalizes pressure in the middle ear.

What anatomical feature separates bass frequency and high frequencies in the cochlea?

Basilar membrane.

What does neural coding of frequency involve?

Place coding along the basilar membrane and phase-locking.

How is the auditory signal modified by the vocal tract?

The vocal tract acts as a filter, altering the sound source.

What medical condition would result from damage to the cochlea?

Sensorineural hearing loss.

What are the roles of the outer ear?

Sound collection and amplification.

What bones form the ossicular chain?

Malleus, incus, stapes.

What is the primary auditory cortex responsible for?

Basic sound perception and integration.

How does the brain decode sound frequency?

Through tonotopic organization maintained throughout the auditory pathway.

What is the importance of hearing anatomy in speech production?

Hearing is critical for monitoring and adjusting speech output.

What effect does loudness have on perceived frequency?

Louder sounds can be perceived as having higher frequency.

What signifies a dysfunction in the auditory feedback system?

Discoordination of articulatory movements.

What is typically involved in the process of speech production?

Coordination between the respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory systems.

Describe the process of sound wave traveling through the ear to reach the brain.

Sound waves enter the outer ear, vibrate the tympanic membrane, transmit through ossicles, and convert to electrochemical signals in the cochlea before reaching the auditory cortex.

What is the role of the thalamus in the auditory pathway?

Acts as a relay station for sensory information, sending it to the cortex.

What two types of hearing loss are associated with dysfunction in different parts of the ear?

Conductive loss (outer/middle ear) and sensorineural loss (inner ear/auditory nerve).

What are the sensory receptors for balance in the inner ear?

Vestibular receptors located in the semicircular canals and otolith organs.

Define the term 'auditory scene formation.'

The process by which the brain organizes sound into distinct elements such as voices and instruments.

What is responsible for the 'loudness' effect in auditory perception?

The amplitude of the sound wave.

What condition results from ossicular chain disruption?

Conductive hearing loss.

What part of the ear is affected by 'eustachian tube dysfunction'?

Middle ear.

How does the external auditory meatus contribute to hearing?

It acts as a resonating cavity, amplifying certain frequencies.

Where are the highest sensitivity frequencies for speech perception found?

Around 2500 Hz.

What is the purpose of the organ of Corti?

It houses hair cells that transduce sound vibrations into nerve impulses.

How does the auditory system adapt to background noise?

Through neural processing in the central auditory pathways.

What is the function of the semicircular canals?

They help maintain balance and spatial orientation.

What is the vestibular system's function in relation to sound?

It provides feedback for head movements, helping to stabilize auditory perception.

What does the cochlear nucleus analyze?

Acoustic features of sound and begins signal decomposition.

What is the role of the medial geniculate nucleus?

Relay auditory information from the brainstem to the auditory cortex.

What acoustic phenomenon occurs due to inner hair cell activation?

It creates auditory signals for perception of sound.

What determines the specific frequencies that hair cells respond to?

The location along the basilar membrane.

Define 'acoustic reflex.'

A protective mechanism that stiffens the middle ear in response to loud sounds.

What structural component of the cochlea assists in sound frequency discrimination?

Basilar membrane characteristics.

How does aging affect hearing physiology?

It often leads to presbycusis, a form of sensorineural hearing loss.

What role does auditory feedback play in language development?

It helps children learn to produce speech sounds accurately.

What is the significance of the eighth cranial nerve?

It transmits auditory and vestibular information to the brain.

What are the key anatomical features of the inner ear?

Cochlea, vestibule, and semicircular canals.

How is sound transduced from mechanical energy to electrochemical energy?

In hair cells of the cochlea, due to fluid movement displacing stereocilia.

What brain region integrates auditory signals for sound localization?

Superior olivary complex.