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Related Concept Videos

Equilibrium and Balance01:15

Equilibrium and Balance

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The inner ear assumes dual functionalities of auditory perception and equilibrium maintenance. The vestibule is the organ responsible for balance. This organ contains mechanoreceptors, specifically hair cells, endowed with stereocilia, which aid in deciphering information regarding the position and motion of our heads. Two intrinsic components, the utricle and saccule, help perceive head position, while the semicircular canals track head movement. Neurological messages initiated in the...
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Auditory Perception01:17

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The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the...
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The Vestibular System01:29

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The vestibular system is a set of inner ear structures that provide a sense of balance and spatial orientation. This system is comprised of structures within the labyrinth of the inner ear, including the cochlea and two otolith organs—the utricle and saccule. The labyrinth also contains three semicircular canals—superior, posterior, and horizontal—that are oriented on different planes.
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Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

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Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the...
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The Cochlea01:13

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The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.
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Auditory Pathway01:15

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Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
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A Vibrotactile Feedback Device for Seated Balance Assessment and Training
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Auditory contributions to maintaining balance.

Madelyn N Stevens1, Dennis L Barbour2, Meredith P Gronski3

  • 1Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.

Journal of Vestibular Research : Equilibrium & Orientation
|March 7, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

External sound significantly reduces postural sway in individuals with balance issues. Auditory cues can improve stability, suggesting potential benefits for hearing aid and cochlear implant users.

Keywords:
Balanceauditionhearingposturographyproprioceptionstabilityswayvestibular

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biomechanics
  • Auditory Science

Background:

  • Balance relies on visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems.
  • The auditory system's role in balance is often overlooked.
  • Auditory cues offer rapid spatial orientation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of external auditory signals on postural sway.
  • To quantify the reduction in postural sway with auditory cueing.

Main Methods:

  • Subjects with varying imbalance stood in the dark.
  • Postural sway was measured as center of pressure (COP) velocity.
  • External auditory signals were introduced to assess their impact.

Main Results:

  • External sound reduced maximum COP velocity from 7.0 cm/sec to 4.7 cm/sec.
  • Auditory cues decreased sway by 41% compared to silence.
  • Sound-induced improvement was 54% of that from visual cues.

Conclusions:

  • The auditory system plays a significant role in providing balance cues.
  • Auditory interventions may enhance postural stability and reduce fall risk.
  • Hearing aids and cochlear implants could be beneficial for balance improvement.