title: Analysis of the mechano-acoustic influence of the tympanic cavity in the auditory system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main objective of this paper is to study the mechanical influence of the tympanic cavity (TC) in the auditory system (AS). It is done for a frequency range from 0.1 to 20 kHz and the pressure source was applied in the external ear canal (EEC) entrance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Numerical simulations were developed for seven different models by means of finite element model. On the basis of an EEC finite elements model, the additional elements are coupled and removed in order to evaluate the contribution of the TC. Tympanic membrane, ossicular chain, simplified cochlea and TC were modeled and simulated in four different combinations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pressure, velocity, and displacement measures were obtained in AS key points in order to be compared with experimental results. Umbo and stapes transfer functions have been represented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main conclusion is that we find evidence that the presence of the TC in the AS introduces a second resonance in middle ear transfer functions at frequencies above 3 kHz.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Malaga, Calle Doctor Ortiz Ramos (Teatinos), 29071, Málaga, Spain. tolin@uma.es.|, Calle Nuño Gómez, 20 2ºA, 29008, Málaga, Spain. tolin@uma.es.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia-Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Malaga, Calle Doctor Ortiz Ramos (Teatinos), 29071, Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castro-Egler
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Materials Engineering, University of Malaga, Calle Doctor Ortiz Ramos (Teatinos), 29071, Málaga, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Herrera
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000502:physiology*; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D011312:Pressure; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Ear canal; Finite element analysis; Middle ear; Resonance; Tympanic cavity; Tympanic membrane