Abnormalities of sensation can result from disease or dysfunction in the receptors for sensation or along the pathway that sends
the signals from the receptors to specific areas of the brain. the abnormality can also be the result of brain abnormalities with no reported problems in the areas of reception or transmission. what is the correct terminology used to describe these different types of abnormalities as they pertain to the sense of hearing? give an example of each.
Nerve deafness is also termed as sensorineural hearing loss is caused by impairment of the ear cochlea or the auditory nerve. The cochlea has nerve endings or the hair cells at the end have a reaction towards the sharp sounds and in middle to the low pitch sounds. The hair cells and the nerve which interfaces it to the cerebrum do not have any power to harm from a variety of causes. A benign tumor called as acoustic neuroma arises from acoustic vestibulocochlear nerve resulting in tinnitus which is ringing in the ears, decreased hearing and vertigo. At the transmission level this deficit is produced.
Conductive deafness is due to the impairment of the middle ear ossicle along with the membranes which transmit the sound waves to the cochlea. Otosclerosis leads the bony tissues of ear to get hardened causing stiffness or fixing of stapes leading to conductive deafness as the sound vibration entering the ears is not transmitted by ossicle.
