Organ of corti (cochlear hair cells)

(bipolar nerves) spiral (or cochlear) ganglion

cochlear nerve

synapse ->
Neurons in
these nuclei
send both
crossed and
uncrossed
axons ->
trapezoid
body and
some of
them
synapse in
the superior
olivary
nuclei
(distance) ->
The ascending fibers course in the lateral
Latera
lemnisci ->
l
lemnis
Inferior
colluculi

Brachiu
m

medial geniculate body

primary auditory cortex
* inferior colliculi and medial geniculate bodies each receive
impulses derived from both ears
Reflex connections pass to eye muscle nuclei and other
motor nuclei of the cranial and spinal nerves via the tectobulbar
and tectospinal tracts.
These connections are activated by
strong, sudden sounds; the result is reflex turning of the eyes

and head toward the site of the sound.

In the lower pons, the superior olivary nuclei receive input from both ascending
pathways. Efferent fibers from these nuclei course along the
cochlear nerve back to the organ of Corti. The function of this
olivocochlear bundle is to modulate the sensitivity of the
cochlear organ.
Cochlear nerve damage: hearing loss on ipsilateral ear
Hearing cortex damage on right: bilateral hearing loss but on contralateral site
its more

Equilibrium and muscle tonus

Semicircular ducts -> rotational movements of head
Utricle -> vertical and lateral acceleration
Sacule -> linear acceleration
Ampulla in semicircular canals: crista hair cells embedded in
cupula
Utricle + sacule: macula hair cells embedded in otholiths
Ampulla of anterior and lateral semicircular canals + macula of
utricle -> superior vestibular ganglia
Ampulla of posterior semicircular canal + macula of sacule ->
inferior vestibular ganglia
These ganglia are found in fundus deep part of internal acustic
meatus.
Fundus 4 parts: 1) posteriosuperior - > superior vest. ganglion
2) posterioinferior -> inferior vest. ganglion
*fibers coming from 2 different canals: posterior
semicircular duct fibers through

singular canal and sacule

vestibular area.

fibers through saccular

The central branches run within the vestibular

component of cranial nerve VIII to enter the brain stem
and end in the vestibular nuclei
sup + lat vest nuclei -> cerebellum where they end in
the cerebellar cortex within the flocculonodular component
lateral vestibular nuclei -> lateral vestibulospinal tracts to
spinal cord postural adjustments
superior and medial vestibular nuclei ->
1)MLF -> nuclei of the eye muscles
2)medial vesitbulospinal tract - > cervical spinal cord for head
movements
3)Some vestibular nuclei send fibers to the reticular formation.
Some ascending fibers from the vestibular nuclei travel by way
of the thalamus VPL to the parietal cortex (area 40). to be
conscious about balance.