Which scalae are involved in carrying pressure waves within the cochlea?

Which scalae are involved in carrying pressure waves within the cochlea?

• A. Scala vestibuli and scala tympani.
• B. Scala tympani and scala media.
• C. Scala media and scala eustachii.
• D. Scala vestibuli and scala media.

Answer: (A)

Pressure waves in the cochlea travel through the fluid-filled compartments that carry perilymph. When the stapes pushes on the oval window, it generates a pressure wave in the scala vestibuli. This wave then propagates around the cochlear apex and continues as a pressure wave in the scala tympani. The scala media, which contains endolymph and houses the organ of Corti on the basilar membrane, does not carry the main pressure energy in the same way; instead, the motion of the basilar membrane created by these waves within the scalae allows hair cells to transduce the mechanical energy into neural signals. The two perilymph-filled scalae involved are scala vestibuli and scala tympani.

Pressure waves in the cochlea travel through the fluid-filled compartments that carry perilymph. When the stapes pushes on the oval window, it generates a pressure wave in the scala vestibuli. This wave then propagates around the cochlear apex and continues as a pressure wave in the scala tympani. The scala media, which contains endolymph and houses the organ of Corti on the basilar membrane, does not carry the main pressure energy in the same way; instead, the motion of the basilar membrane created by these waves within the scalae allows hair cells to transduce the mechanical energy into neural signals. The two perilymph-filled scalae involved are scala vestibuli and scala tympani.