Final answer:
The vestibulocochlear nerve carries both equilibrium and auditory sensations from the inner ear to the medulla. The vestibule is responsible for equilibrium, composed of the utricle, saccule, and the three semicircular canals, while the cochlea transduces sound waves into a neural signal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII) carries both equilibrium and auditory sensations from the inner ear to the medulla. The vestibule is responsible for equilibrium, composed of the utricle, saccule, and the three semicircular canals, while the cochlea is responsible for transducing sound waves into a neural signal. These two structures both emerge from the inner ear, pass through the internal auditory meatus, and synapse in nuclei of the superior medulla. The vestibulocochlear nerve is a separate division carrying sensory nerves from the vestibule and cochlea.
equilibrium and auditory sensations from the inner ear to the medulla. The vestibule is responsible for equilibrium, composed of the utricle, saccule, and the three semicircular canals, while the cochlea is responsible for transducing sound waves into a neural signal. These two structures both emerge from the inner ear, pass through the internal auditory meatus, and synapse in nuclei of the superior medulla. The vestibulocochlear nerve is a separate division carrying sensory nerves from the vestibule and cochlea.