The location of the cochlear amplifier: Spatial representation of a single tone on the guinea pig basilar membrane

I. J. Russell, K. E. Nilsen

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Acoustic stimulation vibrates the cochlear basilar membrane, initiating a wave of displacement that travels toward the apex and reaches a peak over a restricted region according to the stimulus frequency. In this characteristic frequency region, a tone at the characteristic frequency maximally excites the sensory hair cells of the organ of Corti, which transduce it into electrical signals to produce maximum activity in the auditory nerve. Saturating, nonlinear, feedback from the motile outer hair cells is thought to provide electromechanical amplification of the travelling wave. However, neither the location nor the extent of the source of amplification, in relation to the characteristic frequency, are known. We have used a laser- diode interferometer to measure in vivo the distribution along the basilar membrane of nonlinear, saturating vibrations to 15 kHz tones. We estimate that the site of amplification for the 15 kHz region is restricted to a 1.25 mm length of basilar membrane centered on the 15 kHz place.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)2660-2664
    Number of pages5
    JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
    Volume94
    Issue number6
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 18 Mar 1997

    Keywords

    • Deiters cells
    • frequency selectivity
    • laser diode interferometry
    • outer hair cell

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