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Timing of cochlear feedback: spatial and temporal representation of a tone across the basilar membrane

Nature Neuroscience volume 2, pages 642–648 (1999)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 01 September 1999

Abstract

Electromotile outer hair cell (OHC) feedback provides the sensitivity and sharp frequency tuning of the cochlea. Basilar membrane displacements in response to characteristic frequency (CF) tones were measured with an interferometer at up to 15 locations across the basilar membrane width in the basal turn of the guinea pig cochlea. For CF tones, basilar membrane vibrations were largest beneath the OHCs; these phase-led vibrations beneath outer pillar cells and adjacent to the spiral ligament by ~90°. Post mortem, responses measured beneath the OHCs were reduced by up to 65 dB, and the basilar membrane moved with similar phase across its entire width. We suggest OHCs amplify basilar membrane responses to CF tones when the basilar membrane moves at maximum velocity.

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Figure 1: Cochlear structure and function.
Figure 2: Relationship of sound pressure level to basilar membrane displacement and frequency.
Figure 3: Preparation 1.
Figure 4: Preparation 2.
Figure 5: Preparation 3.
Figure 6: Basilar membrane displacement as a function of phase and position.

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Notes

  1. Editorial correction The printed version of this article contained an error introduced during editing. The first sentence of the results section should read "Tone-evoked basilar membrane displacements were measured with a laser diode interferometer focused to a 5 μm spot with a depth of field of less than 2.3 μ m, at up to 15 different locations across the width of the basilar membrane (Fig. 1c)." We regret the error.

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Acknowledgements

We thank James Hartley for designing and constructing electronic apparatus, Richard Goodyear for help and advice with histology and Thomas Collett, Manfred Kössl, Andrei Lukashkin and Guy Richardson for comments on early drafts of the manuscript. This research was supported by the MRC.

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  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex , Falmer, BN1 9QG, Brighton, UK

    K. E. Nilsen & I. J. Russell

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Correspondence to I. J. Russell.

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Nilsen, K., Russell, I. Timing of cochlear feedback: spatial and temporal representation of a tone across the basilar membrane. Nat Neurosci 2, 642–648 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/10197

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