The Cochlea of the Inner Ear

The Cochlea

耳蜗

The inner ear structure called the cochlea is a snail-shell like structure divided into three fluid-filled parts. Two are canals for the transmission of pressure and in the third is the sensitive organ of Corti, which detects pressure impulses and responds with electrical impulses which travel along the auditory nerve to the brain.

耳内结构称为耳蜗的结构类似于蜗牛壳，分为三个充满液体的部分。其中两个是传递压力的管道，在第三个部分是柯蒂氏器官，它能检测压力脉冲，并通过电信号沿听神经传递至大脑。

Section of Cochlea

耳蜗部分

The cochlea has three fluid filled sections. The perilymph fluid in the canals differs from the endolymph fluid in the cochlear duct. The organ of Corti is the sensor of pressure variations.

耳蜗有三个充满流体的区域。耳道中的Perilymph流体与耳蜗管中的Endolymph流体不同。Corti器官是压力变化的传感器。

The Fluid Filled Cochlea

流体填充的耳蜗

The pressure changes in the cochlea caused by sound entering the ear travel down the fluid filled tympanic and vestibular canals which are filled with a fluid called perilymph. This perilymph is almost identical to spinal fluid and differs significantly from the endolymph which fills the cochlear duct and surrounds the sensitive organ of Corti. The fluids differ in terms of their electrolytes and if the membranes are ruptured so that there is mixing of the fluids, the hearing is impaired.

由声音进入耳朵引起的耳蜗内压力变化，通过充满流体的鼓室和前庭管传递，这些管中充满一种称为内淋巴的流体。这种内淋巴几乎与脊髓液相同，但与填充耳蜗管并围绕柯蒂氏器官的流体有显著差异。这两种流体在电解质成分上有所不同，如果膜破裂导致两种流体混合，将会影响听力。