In vivo micromechanical measurements of the organ of Corti in the basal cochlear turn.
Cochlear mechanical measurements of organ of Corti motion are generally accomplished in the apical or basal turn as in vivo or in vitro studies. In the apex it is possible to observe and measure tectorial membrane vibration as well as vibrations of structures such as the reticular lamina or the basilar membrane (BM). However, compared to the basal turn, cochlear amplification and nonlinearity are not strong in the apex. Basal turn studies have typically been limited to point location measurements of the BM but improved technology for laser interferometry is now making possible the spatial mapping of BM motion. The 'complexity' of BM motion in the radial direction (particularly the phase variation) is important to new models of cochlear wave amplification. In future work it may be possible to learn about vibration of structures within the organ of Corti.
Nuttall
Alfred L
AL
Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Oregon Hearing Research Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oreg., USA. nuttall@ohsu.edu
Ren
Tianying
T
de Boer
Egbert
E
Zheng
Jiefu
J
Parthasarathi
Anand
A
Grosh
Karl
K
Guo
Menghe
M
Dolan
David
D
D000818:Animals; D001489:Basilar Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D009925:Organ of Corti / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration