Term
| What is the main purpose of the vestibular system? |
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Definition
| Maintain balance and equilibirium |
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Term
| What was the first animal to evolve a vestibular system? |
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Definition
| Jellyfish, 600 million years ago |
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Term
| What are some relevant health issues related to the Vestibular System? |
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Definition
Dizziness is the most common health complaint.
Falling, due to aging |
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Term
| Describe the semicircular canals and their function |
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Definition
| Fluid filled ovals, oriented at angles to one another to cover 3 dimensions of rotations (lateral, anterior and posterior) |
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Term
| What do the otolith organs do? What are their names? |
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Definition
detect linear head movements, respond to gravity
Utricle -> horizontal
Saccule -> vertical |
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Term
| What are some common reflexes associated with the vestibular system? |
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Definition
Vestibulo-occulo reflex
Vestibulo-spinal reflex
Vestibulo-collic reflex (neck) |
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Term
| Which nerve carries vestibular information? |
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Definition
| 8th cranial nerve, goes primarily to the vestibular nuclei |
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Term
| Where are the hair cells located in the semicircular canals? |
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Definition
| in the ampulla, a wide region of the canal. Hair cells are aligned parallel to the axis of fluid flow, but the kinocilia are reversed depending whether it is a saccule or utricule |
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Term
| What is the normal operating range of the vestibular system? |
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Definition
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Term
| Describe the activity of the 8th cranial nerve |
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Definition
| High spontaneous firing rate (increases and decreases can be registered as modulatory), pairing of the canals |
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Term
| How are the vestibular canals grouped into bilateral pairs? |
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Definition
L/R horizontal
R anterior, L posterior
R posterior, L anterior |
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Term
| What is the purpose of the Vestibulo-collic reflex? |
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Definition
| Keeps your head stationary while your body moves around. |
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Term
| What are the main features of the Vestibulo-spinal reflex? |
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Definition
| Heavily integrated through other behaviors, lateral and medial vestibulospinal tracts, stabilizes torso |
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