Scala tympani

Scala tympani is a part of the cochlea in the inner ear. It is one of the three fluid-filled spaces, the other two being the scala media and the scala vestibuli. The scala tympani is filled with perilymph, a fluid similar to cerebrospinal fluid.

Anatomy

The scala tympani begins at the round window, one of the two openings from the middle ear into the inner ear. It spirals around the modiolus, the central pillar of the cochlea, for two and a half turns and ends at the helicotrema, where it joins the scala vestibuli. The scala tympani and scala vestibuli are separated by the basilar membrane, which is the base on which sit the sensory cells that transduce sound into electrical signals.

Function

The scala tympani plays a crucial role in the transmission of sound waves through the inner ear. When sound waves enter the ear, they cause the stapes, one of the three ossicles in the middle ear, to push on the oval window, the other opening from the middle ear into the inner ear. This causes fluid waves in the scala vestibuli. These waves travel through the cochlea and cause the basilar membrane to vibrate. This vibration is detected by the sensory cells, which send electrical signals to the brain. The waves then continue into the scala tympani and are dissipated at the round window.

Clinical significance

Damage to the scala tympani can result in sensorineural hearing loss, which is a type of hearing loss where there is damage to the inner ear, the cochlea, or the nerve pathways from the inner ear to the brain. This can be caused by loud noise, aging, infections, certain medications, and genetic disorders.

Scala tympani Resources
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