The auditory system (Fig. 1) is basically comprised of 3 main parts - the outer, middle and inner ear (the cochlea).

Generally spoken, the outer ear captures sounds, the middle ear transmits them, the inner ear acts as a transduction system to translate the acoustic pressure waves into electrical signals.

• The pinna of the outer ear funnels acoustic waves into the ear canal (meautus) and amplifies it. The pinna changes the transfer function that aids in sound localization in the vertical plane (Fig. 1A).
• The middle ear conveys the pressure waves from the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to the ossicle chain, amplifying the sound further (Fig. 1A).
• The inner ear is where the action is, see Fig. 1B for a sectional view. The cochlea is a fluid-filled tube. The ossicles transfer the acoustic energy into the fluid of the scala vestibuli. From there it travels through the cochlea as a traveling wave that rides on the basilar membrane (Fig. 1C). The traveling wave in turn sets the hair cells in motion. These hair cells have hairs (cilia) that allow current to pass when deflected. This in turn leads to release of neurotransmitter that in turns activates the auditory nerve to generate action potentials that are transmitted to the brain (Fig. 1D).

^{Fig. 1. The auditory system. source: Morgan et al. (2020)}

<sub>Reference
- Morgan et al., Medizinische Genetik (2020); 32: 2</sub>

The auditory system (Fig. 1) is basically comprised of 3 main parts - the outer, middle and inner ear (the cochlea).

Generally spoken, the outer ear captures sounds, the middle ear transmits them, the inner ear acts as a transduction system to translate the acoustic pressure waves into electrical signals.

• The pinna of the outer ear funnels acoustic waves into the ear canal (meautus) and amplifies it. The pinna changes the transfer function that aids in sound localization in the vertical plane (Fig. 1A).
• The middle ear conveys the pressure waves from the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to the ossicle chain, amplifying the sound further (Fig. 1A).
• The inner ear is where the action is, see Fig. 1B for a sectional view. The cochlea is a fluid-filled tube. The ossicles transfer the acoustic energy into the fluid of the scala vestibuli. From there it travels through the cochlea as a traveling wave that rides on the basilar membrane (Fig. 1C). The traveling wave in turn sets the hair cells in motion. These hair cells have hairs (cilia) that allow current to pass when deflected. This in turn leads to release of neurotransmitter that in turns activates the auditory nerve to generate action potentials that are transmitted to the brain (Fig. 1D).

^{Fig. 1. The auditory system. source: Morgan et al. (2020)}

<sub>Reference
- Morgan et al., Medizinische Genetik (2020); 32: 2</sub>

The auditory system (Fig. 1) is basically comprised of 3 main parts - the outer, middle and inner ear (the cochlea).

Generally spoken, the outer ear captures sounds, the middle ear transmits them, the inner ear acts as a transduction system to translate the acoustic pressure waves into electrical signals.

The pinna of the outer ear funnels acoustic waves into the ear canal (meautus) and amplifies it. The pinna changes the transfer function that aids in sound localization in the vertical plane (Fig. 1A).

The middle ear conveys the pressure waves from the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to the ossicle chain, amplifying the sound further (Fig. 1A).

The inner ear is where the action is, see Fig. 1B for a sectional view. The cochlea is a fluid-filled tube. The ossicles transfer the acoustic energy into the fluid of the scala vestibuli. From there it travels through the cochlea as a traveling wave that rides on the basilar membrane (Fig. 1C). The traveling wave in turn sets the hair cells in motion. These hair cells have hairs (cilia) that allow current to pass when deflected. This in turn leads to release of neurotransmitter that in turns activates the auditory nerve to generate action potentials that are transmitted to the brain (Fig. 1D).

^{Fig. 1. The auditory system. source: Morgan et al. (2020)}

<sub>Reference
- Morgan et al., Medizinische Genetik (2020); 32: 2</sub>

The auditory system (Fig. 1) is basically comprised of 3 main parts - the outer, middle and inner ear (the cochlea).

Generally spoken, the outer ear captures sounds, the middle ear transmits them, the inner ear acts as a transduction system to translate the acoustic pressure waves into electrical signals.

• The pinna of the outer ear funnels acoustic waves into the ear canal (meautus) and amplifies it. The pinna changes the transfer function that aids in sound localization in the vertical plane (Fig. 1A).
• The middle ear conveys the pressure waves from the ear drum (tympanic membrane) to the ossicle chain, amplifying the sound further (Fig. 1A).
• The inner ear is where the action is, see Fig. 1B for a sectional view. The cochlea is a fluid-filled tube. The ossicles transfer the acoustic energy into the fluid of the scala vestibuli. From there it travels through the cochlea as a traveling wave that rides on the basilar membrane (Fig. 1C). The traveling wave in turn sets the hair cells in motion. These hair cells have hairs (cilia) that allow current to pass when deflected. This in turn leads to release of neurotransmitter that in turns activates the auditory nerve to generate action potentials that are transmitted to the brain (Fig. 1D).

^{Fig. 1. The auditory system. source: Morgan et al. (2020)}

<sub>Reference
- Morgan et al., Medizinische Genetik (2020); 32: 2</sub>