In defence of the travelling wave concept.
For a period of about 15 years, L. Naftalin has raised objections against the travelling-wave concept of Békésy; these objections formed the point of departure for his own biochemical theory of cochlear stimulation. Others have, quite frequently, expressed similar objections; these can often be traced to some misconceptions concerning the travelling-wave phenomenon. This review will critically examine the pros and cons of the issue. The evidence presented is hoped to indicate that the travelling-wave concept is best able to account for the events underlying cochlear stimulation, as understood today, since it is well-supported, not only by Békésy's own evidence, but also by that supplied by many other authors since.
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000162:Acoustics; D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001489:Basilar Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D003051:Cochlea / Q000502:physiology*; D003056:Cochlear Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004735:Energy Transfer; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D013680:Tectorial Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D014732:Vibration