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Sound moves as a wave through space. As sound travels, it interacts with the structures of the body (specifically: the ears, head, and chest). Most people think our ears are all we need to hear; this is not true. The auditory pathway is a complex system with many parts. Overall the auditory system can be divided into the peripheral anatomy and the central anatomy.

The peripheral portion of the auditory system is divided into the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear spaces, as well as the auditory nerve. The outer ear extends from the ear on the side of the face, through the canal, and to the eardrum. The eardrum marks the separation between the outer and middle ear spaces. A chain of three small bones, known as the ossicles, attach to the eardrum and make-up the middle ear space. When the ossicles are forced into movement by sound, they transfer the energy to the inner ear through a membrane known as the oval window. The inner ear space, which begins at the oval window, consists of the cochlea. The cochlea is a snail-shell like structure containing fluid-filled tubes. Within one of these tubes rests the organ of corti, the sense organ of hearing. Sensory receptors activated within the organ of corti send sound signals from the inner ear to the auditory nerve. The auditory nerve is the last step in the peripheral portion of the auditory system.  From here, sound information is transferred to central anatomical structures, i.e. the brainstem and the central auditory nervous system (CANS).

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