Special Senses

special senses

senses confined to the head, innervated by cranial nerves, all somatic sensory, vision, hearing and balance, taste, and smell

mechoreception

both hearing and equilibrium involve ________________; hearing: sound vibrations; equilibrium: fluid movement

middle ear

relays sound waves to inner ear

inner ear

converts vibrations and body movements into nerve signals

outer ear

collects sound waves

tympanic membrane

eardrum; sound waves cause vibrations → sent to inner ear (hair cells)

semicircular duct

for balance

vestibular nerve

balance nerve

cochlear nerve

hearing nerve

cochlea

organ of hearing; converts sound vibrations to nerve signals, cavity of membranes and ducts (labyrinth), organ of corti

organ of corti

directly responsible for responding to sound vibrations

hair cells

sensory cells of hearing, located in organ of corti, vibrate due to vibrations from tympanic membrane, release neurotransmitters → excite afferent nerve fibers of cochlear nerve

potassium

what element causes depolarization in the ear