Inner ear
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| Inner ear | |
|---|---|
| The cochlea and vestibule, viewed from above. | |
 | |
| Latin | auris interna |
| Gray's | subject #232 1047 |
| MeSH | Ear,+Inner |
The inner ear is the bony labyrinth, a system of passages comprising two main functional parts:
- the organ of hearing, or cochlea
- and the vestibular apparatus, the organ of balance that consists of three semicircular canals and the vestibule.
Contents |
[edit] Ear overview, in context
The outer ear focuses and directs sound waves into the middle ear. In the middle ear, the energy of these pressure waves<ref>http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/GBSSCI/PHYS/Class/sound/u11l1c.html</ref> is translated into mechanical vibrations of the middle ear’s bone structure. The cochlea of the inner ear propagates these mechanical signals as waves in fluid and membranes, and finally transduces them to nerve impulses which are transmitted to the brain.
The vestibular system of the inner ear use the kinds of fluids and detection cells (hair cells) as the cochlea uses, and sends information to the brain about the attitude and rotation of the head.
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