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introductionstatpearls· Introduction· item NBK557588

The ear is an incredible organ of hearing and equilibrium divided into three anatomic parts: the external, middle, and internal ear. The external ear, or outer ear, consists of the auricle or pinna, and the tubular external auditory canal ending at the tympanic cavity. The external ear resonates and amplifies sound, and it directs sound towards the tympanic membrane. The middle ear's tympanic membrane converts energy from sound waves into mechanical energy as vibrations. The middle ear is essentially an air-filled cavity that houses three auditory ossicles: the malleus, incus, and stapes. The ossicles transmit sound vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the internal or inner ear. The internal ear, or labyrinth of the ear, houses the organs of hearing and balance. The internal ear is composed of the vestibule, semicircular canals, and cochlea. The vestibule functions to sense linear acceleration, while the semicircular canals sense rotational movements. The cochlea's organ of Corti functions to transduce auditory signals into neuronal impulses that reach the brain via the vestibulocochlear nerve. The delicate structures of the internal, middle, and external ear must function in concert to transmit sound and sense movement. The development of the ear requires contributions from all three germ layers and involves a sophisticated process with intricate embryologic patterning. Each anatomic division of the ear has a distinct origin and unique developmental processes resulting in their typical form.[1] While the development of the ear continues post-birth, a fetus can functionally hear by about 26 weeks of development. Notably, several anatomic variants and congenital conditions can arise from deviations in the typical developmental processes.[2]