Two-Tone Suppression of Simultaneous Electrical and Mechanical Responses in the Cochlea. 2016

Wei Dong, and Elizabeth S Olson
VA Loma Linda Health Care System and Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.

Cochlear frequency tuning is based on a mildly tuned traveling-wave response that is enhanced in amplitude and sharpness by outer hair cell (OHC)-based forces. The nonlinear and active character of this enhancement is the fundamental manifestation of cochlear amplification. Recently, mechanical (pressure) and electrical (extracellular OHC-generated voltage) responses were simultaneously measured close to the sensory tissue's basilar membrane. Both pressure and voltage were tuned and showed traveling-wave phase accumulation, evidence that they were locally generated responses. Approximately at the frequency where nonlinearity commenced, the phase of extracellular voltage shifted up, to lead pressure by >1/4 cycle. Based on established and fundamental relationships among voltage, force, pressure, displacement, and power, the observed phase shift was identified as the activation of cochlear amplification. In this study, the operation of the cochlear amplifier was further explored, via changes in pressure and voltage responses upon delivery of a second, suppressor tone. Two different suppression paradigms were used, one with a low-frequency suppressor and a swept-frequency probe, the other with two swept-frequency tones, either of which can be considered as probe or suppressor. In the presence of a high-level low-frequency suppressor, extracellular voltage responses at probe-tone frequencies were greatly reduced, and the pressure responses were reduced nearly to their linear, passive level. On the other hand, the amplifier-activating phase shift between pressure and voltage responses was still present in probe-tone responses. These findings are consistent with low-frequency suppression being caused by the saturation of OHC electrical responses and not by a change in the power-enabling phasing of the underlying mechanics. In the two-tone swept-frequency suppression paradigm, mild suppression was apparent in the pressure responses, while deep notches could develop in the voltage responses. A simple analysis, based on a two-wave differencing scheme, was used to explore the observations.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D003051 Cochlea The part of the inner ear (LABYRINTH) that is concerned with hearing. It forms the anterior part of the labyrinth, as a snail-like structure that is situated almost horizontally anterior to the VESTIBULAR LABYRINTH. Cochleas
D005849 Gerbillinae A subfamily of the Muridae consisting of several genera including Gerbillus, Rhombomys, Tatera, Meriones, and Psammomys. Gerbils,Jird,Meriones,Psammomys,Rats, Sand,Gerbil,Jirds,Merione,Rat, Sand,Sand Rat,Sand Rats
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001696 Biomechanical Phenomena The properties, processes, and behavior of biological systems under the action of mechanical forces. Biomechanics,Kinematics,Biomechanic Phenomena,Mechanobiological Phenomena,Biomechanic,Biomechanic Phenomenas,Phenomena, Biomechanic,Phenomena, Biomechanical,Phenomena, Mechanobiological,Phenomenas, Biomechanic
D013997 Time Factors Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations. Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor
D055595 Mechanical Phenomena The properties and processes of materials that affect their behavior under force. Mechanical Concepts,Mechanical Processes,Mechanical Phenomenon,Mechanical Process,Concept, Mechanical,Concepts, Mechanical,Mechanical Concept,Phenomena, Mechanical,Phenomenon, Mechanical,Process, Mechanical,Processes, Mechanical
D055724 Electrophysiological Phenomena The electrical properties, characteristics of living organisms, and the processes of organisms or their parts that are involved in generating and responding to electricity. Electrophysiological Concepts,Electrophysiological Processes,Electrophysiologic Concepts,Electrophysiologic Phenomena,Electrophysiological Phenomenon,Electrophysiological Process,Concept, Electrophysiologic,Concept, Electrophysiological,Concepts, Electrophysiologic,Concepts, Electrophysiological,Electrophysiologic Concept,Electrophysiological Concept,Phenomena, Electrophysiologic,Phenomena, Electrophysiological,Phenomenon, Electrophysiological,Process, Electrophysiological,Processes, Electrophysiological

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