The
inner ear (
internal ear,
auris interna) is the innermost part of the vertebrate
ear. In vertebrates, the inner ear is mainly responsible for sound detection and balance. In
mammals, it consists of the
bony labyrinth, a hollow cavity in the
temporal bone of the skull with a system of passages comprising two main functional parts:
- The cochlea, dedicated to hearing; converting sound pressure patterns from the outer ear into electrochemical impulses which are passed on to the brain via the auditory nerve.
- The vestibular system, dedicated to balance