Frequency tuning of mechanical responses in the mammalian cochlea.
The search for mechanisms responsible for the high sensitivity and sharp frequency tuning of first-order auditory neurons has produced surprising results. The cochlea, the mammalian auditory receptor, responds to acoustic stimuli with a sharply frequency tuned, nonlinear vibration that enhances low level stimuli, but generates appreciable distortion. This highly sensitive mechanical response is achieved by an electro-mechanical feedback process in which outer hair cells reinforce cochlear motion at low stimulus intensities.
Robles
L
L
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile. lrobles@machi.med.uchile.cl
Alcayaga
C
C
D000818:Animals; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001489:Basilar Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D003051:Cochlea / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000502:physiology; D010469:Perceptual Distortion / Q000502:physiology; D013016:Sound; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology