Auditory and cytocochlear correlates of inner ear disorders.
Pure-tone threshold audiograms showing sensorineural hearing loss, when plotted on a data-based anatomic frequency scale, show a close spatial correlation with their respective cytocochleograms. Whereas most of the cochleae show pathology of several different cell types, a sufficient number show losses that involve predominantly a single cell type, which permits the following deductions: (1) focal lesions of the organ of Corti are strongly tonotopic and are responsible for those instances of abrupt pure-tone threshold losses; (2) lesions of the stria vascularis show no tonotopic organization but lead to flat pure-tone threshold losses; and (3) the principal effect of neuronal losses is a diminished capability for word recognition. There is an indeterminate group where no pathologic correlate can be identified by light microscopy.
Schuknecht
H F
HF
Department of Otology and Laryngology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D003051:Cochlea / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans