SnP (Vestibular)

vestibular system

set of five organs (three semicircular canals and two otolith organs)

spatial orientation

a sense comprised of our three sense modalities of linear motion, angular motion, and tilt

angular motion

can be sensed when rotating head from side to side as if to say “no”

linear motion

sensed when accelerating or decelerating in a car

tilt

can be sensed when nodding head up and down as if to say “yes”

semicircular canals

the three toroidal tubes in the vestibular system that sense angular motion

perilymph

the fluid that fills canals

ampulla

cross section of each canal swells substantially near where the canals join the vestibule

cristae

the specialized detectors of angular motion located in each semicircular canal in a swelling called the ampulla

otolith organs

the mechanical structures in the vestibular system that sense both linear acceleration and gravity

—organs are called the utricle and saccule