The inner ear is the innermost part of the vertebrate ear. 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: (1) The cochlea, dedicating to hearing; converting sound pressure impulses from the outer ear into electrical impulses which are passed on to the brain via the auditory nerve. (2) The vestibular system, dedicated to balance [Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_ear].
Synonyms: inner ear
Hierarchy: 3
Parent: auditory apparatus
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