[The mechanics and function of the middle ear. Part 1: The ossicular chain and middle ear muscles]

The revelation of a sophisticated micro-mechanism within the ossicular chain--the gliding of the joints results in a characteristic change of the ossicular movement--extended our conception of the function of the ossicular chain. Contrary to our former ideas of the transmission of sound during hearing, the ossicles do not rotate around an axis, which runs through the center of mass of the malleus and anvil. The imaginary rotational axis is located outside the ossicles, resulting in a more piston-like vibration of the complete chain. The ossicular joints are rigid. This acoustic function of the ossicular chain must rigorously be separated from its behaviour at changes of static, ambient air pressure. The middle ear, working as a sensitive pressure receptor also reacts to these pressure changes with comparatively huge displacements of the drum membrane (visible in pneumatic otoscopy). Only now the malleus rotates around its axial ligaments. These movements cause a gliding motion in the malleus-incus joint, which results in a predominant up- and downward movement of the anvil; the incudo-stapedial joint glides, too, and the stapes (and the inner ear) are decoupled. This micro-mechanism explains several anatomical features of the middle ear construction, as there are the vertical alignment of the incudo-stapedial joint, the suspension of the anvil, the design of the malleus joint, etc. It also accounts for the peculiar anatomical arrangement of the middle ear muscles. Their function can be interpreted as preserving the intact cartilage of the ossicular joints.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)