Question

There are two muscles in the middle ear (tensor tympani and stapedius). When faced with loud sounds these muscles contract, stiffening the vibration of the ossicles (the stapes is pulled from the oval window and the malleus is pulled from the ear drum).

a) How does this protect against loud sounds? (5 pts)

b) What type of neuron(s) and which part of the nervous system is likely involved? (5 pts)

Answer 1

A:-

The tympanic reflex helps prevent damage to the inner ear by muffling the transmission of vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the oval window. The reflex has a response time of 40 milliseconds, not fast enough to protect the ear from sudden loud noises such as an explosion or gunshot. Thus, the reflex most likely developed to protect early humans from loud thunder claps which do not happen in a split second.

B:- the aiditory nervous system involved in the loud sound's