Horse Anatomy Exam 1 Practice

What is the inner ear’s hearing structure called?

Semicircular canals Cochlea Vestibule Auditory nerve

Correct Answer:

Cochlea

Explanation:

The cochlea is the hearing structure of the inner ear. It’s a spiral, fluid-filled organ that houses the organ of Corti, where the sensory hair cells reside. When sound causes the stapes to move at the oval window, waves travel through the cochlear fluids and move the basilar membrane. The hair cells bend in response to this motion, converting mechanical energy into electrical signals that the auditory nerve carries to the brain. The cochlea’s arrangement is tonotopic, so different frequencies activate different regions along its length—high pitches at the base and low pitches toward the apex. The semicircular canals and vestibule handle balance, not hearing, and the auditory nerve is the pathway that transmits signals to the brain rather than the sensory receptor itself.

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