| labyrinth | 1. An edifice or place full of intricate passageways which render it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance; as, the Egyptian and Cretan labyrinths. 2. Any intricate or involved inclosure; especially, an ornamental maze or inclosure in a park or garden. 3. Any object or arrangement of an intricate or involved form, or having a very complicated nature. "The serpent . . . Fast sleeping soon he found, In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled." (Milton) "The labyrinth of the mind." (Tennyson) 4. An inextricable or bewildering difficulty. "I' the maze and winding labyrinths o' the world." (Denham) 5. <anatomy> The internal ear. See Note under Ear. 6. <chemistry> A series of canals through which a stream of water is directed for suspending, carrying off, and depositing at different distances, the ground ore of a metal. 7. A pattern or design representing a maze, often inlaid in the tiled floor of a church, etc. Synonym: Maze, confusion, intricacy, windings. Labyrinth, Maze. Labyrinth, originally; the name of an edifice or excavation, carries the idea of design, and construction in a permanent form, while maze is used of anything confused or confusing, whether fixed or shifting. Maze is less restricted in its figurative uses than labyrinth. We speak of the labyrinth of the ear, or of the mind, and of a labyrinth of difficulties; but of the mazes of the dance, the mazes of political intrigue, or of the mind being in a maze. Origin: L. Labyrinthus, Gr. Labyrinthos: cf. F. Labyrinthe. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| labyrinth supporting cells | Cells forming a framework supporting the organ of corti. Specific cells are those of claudius, deiters and hensen. (12 Dec 1998) |
| labyrinthectomy | Excision of the labyrinth; a destructive operation to destroy labyrinthine function. Origin: Labyrinth + G. Ektome, excision (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthibranch | <zoology> Of or pertaining to the Labyrinthici. One of the Labyrinthici. See: Labyrinth, and Branchia. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| labyrinthici | <zoology> An order of teleostean fishes, including the Anabas, or climbing perch, and other allied fishes. They have, connected with the gill chamber, a special cavity in which a labyrinthiform membrane is arranged so as to retain water to supply the gills while the fish leaves the water and travels about on land, or even climbs trees. Origin: NL. See Labyrinth. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| labyrinthine | Relating to any labyrinth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine angiospasm | <syndrome> Increasing deafness, interrupted by a sudden attack of dizziness, after which the hearing improves. Synonym: labyrinthine angiospasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine apoplexy | A clinical syndrome manifested as a single, abrupt attack of severe vertigo, nausea, and vomiting, with permanent loss of labyrinthine function on one side, but without associated hearing loss or tinnitus. Attributed to occlusion of the labyrinthine branch of the internal auditory artery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine artery | <anatomy, artery> Internal acoustic meatal branch. A branch of the basilar artery that enters the labyrinth through the internal acoustic meatus. Synonym: arteria labyrinthi, ramus meatus acustici interni, arteria auditiva interna, artery of labyrinth, internal auditory artery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine fluids | Fluids found within the osseous labyrinth (perilymph) and the membranous labyrinth (endolymph) of the inner ear. (12 Dec 1998) |
| labyrinthine nystagmus | Nystagmus resulting from physiological stimuli to the labyrinth that may be rotatory, caloric, compressive, or galvanic, or due to labyrinthal lesions. See: Barany's sign. Synonym: labyrinthine nystagmus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine placenta | A placenta in which maternal blood circulates through channels within the foetal syncytiotrophoblast. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine reflexes | Reflex's initiated through stimulation of receptors in the utricle or saemicircular canals. See: statotonic reflexes, statokinetic reflex, righting reflexes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine righting reflexes | Stimulation of the proprioceptors of the labyrinth causes changes in tone of the neck muscles which bring the head into its natural position in space. (05 Mar 2000) |
| labyrinthine torticollis | Torticollis due to vestibular disorder. (05 Mar 2000) |
| artery of labyrinth | <anatomy, artery> Internal acoustic meatal branch. A branch of the basilar artery that enters the labyrinth through the internal acoustic meatus. Synonym: arteria labyrinthi, ramus meatus acustici interni, arteria auditiva interna, artery of labyrinth, internal auditory artery. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| bony labyrinth | A series of cavities (cochlea, vestibule, and saemicircular canals) contained within the otic capsule of the petrous portion of the temporal bone; the bony labyrinth is filled with perilymph, in which the delicate, endolymph-filled membranous labyrinth is suspended. Synonym: labyrinthus osseus, osseous labyrinth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| vestibular labyrinth | The portion of the membranous labyrinth located within the saemicircular canals and the vestibule of the osseous labyrinth. It is surrounded with perilymph and involved with vestibular functions. Synonym: labyrinthus vestibularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| renal labyrinth | Proximal and distal convoluted tubules and the associated renal corpuscles supplied by branches of the interlobular arteries. Synonym: labyrinthus, pars convoluta lobuli corticalis renis, labyrinth, Ludwig's labyrinth, renal labyrinth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| membranous labyrinth | A complex arrangement of communicating membranous canaliculi and sacs, filled with endolymph and surrounded by perilymph, suspended within the cavity of the bony labyrinth; its chief divisions are the cochlear labyrinth and the vestibular labyrinth. Synonym: labyrinthus membranaceus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cochlear labyrinth | The content of the cochlea including the portion of the membranous labyrinth containing the spiral organ (cochlear duct) and the perilymphatic channels (scalae) which lie on either side. Synonym: labyrinthus cochlearis, organ of hearing. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Santorini's labyrinth | A venous plexus, arising chiefly from the dorsal vein of the penis, situated below the base of the bladder at the sides of the prostate. See: prostaticovesical plexus. Synonym: plexus venosus prostaticus, plexus pudendalis, Santorini's labyrinth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| osseous labyrinth | A series of cavities (cochlea, vestibule, and saemicircular canals) contained within the otic capsule of the petrous portion of the temporal bone; the bony labyrinth is filled with perilymph, in which the delicate, endolymph-filled membranous labyrinth is suspended. Synonym: labyrinthus osseus, osseous labyrinth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ethmoidal labyrinth | A mass of air cells with thin bony walls forming part of the lateral wall of the nasal cavity; the cells are arranged in three groups, anterior, middle, and posterior, and are closed laterally by the orbital plate which forms part of the wall of the orbit. Synonym: labyrinthus ethmoidalis, ectethmoid, ectoethmoid, lateral mass of ethmoid bone. (05 Mar 2000) |
| fenestration, labyrinth | The surgical creation of a new opening in the labyrinth of the ear for the restoration of hearing in cases of otosclerosis. (12 Dec 1998) |
| Ludwig's labyrinth | Proximal and distal convoluted tubules and the associated renal corpuscles supplied by branches of the interlobular arteries. Synonym: labyrinthus, pars convoluta lobuli corticalis renis, labyrinth, Ludwig's labyrinth, renal labyrinth. (05 Mar 2000) |