An otolith (Ancient Greek: ὠτο-, ōto-ear + λῐ́θος, líthos, a stone), also called otoconium, statolith, or statoconium, is a calcium carbonate structure in the saccule or utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular system of vertebrates.

The otoliths (ear-stones) are small structures located in the inner ear used to register gravity and linear acceleration. Quail otoconia from Dickman et al (2004). Most creatures have otoconia. The utricle is one of two "otolithic organs" in the human ear, the utricle and saccule.

Mar 9, 2021 · The otolith organs sense gravity and linear acceleration such as from due to initiation of movement in a straight line. Persons or animals without otolith organs or defective otoliths have poorer abilities to sense motion as well as orientation to gravity.

Jul 5, 2022 · The otoconia are calcium carbonate crystals. These crystals are what give the otolith its name, as otolith is Greek for “ear stones”. The otoconia cause the membrane to be heavier than the structures and fluid around it.

Jun 19, 2024 · Your vestibular system helps you maintain your sense of balance. It includes structures inside your inner ear called otolith organs and semicircular canals.

…particles of calcium carbonate, called otoliths, that weigh against the hairs. Unusual stimulation of the vestibular receptors and semicircular canals can cause sensory distortions in visual and motor activity. The resulting discord between visual and motor responses and the external space (as aboard a ship in rough waters) often leads…

During sound stimulation, the otolith (or the otoconial mass), which is generally about three times denser than the fish’s body, moves at a different amplitude and phase than does the rest of the body (including the epithelium).

Displacements and linear accelerations of the head, such as those induced by tilting or translational movements (see Box A), are detected by the two otolith organs: the sacculus and the utricle. Both of these organs contain a sensory epithelium, the macula, which consists of hair cells and associated supporting cells.

Otoliths are small, calcium-based crystals found in the inner ear that play a crucial role in the perception of gravity and movement. They are embedded in a gelatinous membrane within the utricle and saccule, which are part of the vestibular system.

otolith One of the many tiny calcareous particles found in the utricle and sacculus of the inner ear. These move under gravitational and accelerative forces causing stimulation of hair cells and the production of nerve impulses that provide the brain with information about the position and movement of the head.