Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Cochlea

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location

The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...

Auditory Pathway

Auditory Pathway

Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...

Assessing Body Temperature - Tympanic membrane

Assessing Body Temperature - Tympanic membrane

Assessing tympanic membrane temperature involves using a tympanic membrane thermometer (TMT). Here is a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Begin by practicing good hand hygiene to prevent the transmission of microorganisms.
Step 2: Turn on the thermometer and wait until the ready sign appears on the screen to ensure accurate measurement.
Step 3: Slide the probe cover in place to prevent cross-contamination.
Step 4: Instruct the patient to tilt their head to the side for comfort and check for cerumen...

Hair Cells

Hair Cells

Hair cells are the sensory receptors of the auditory system—they transduce mechanical sound waves into electrical energy that the nervous system can understand. Hair cells are located in the organ of Corti within the cochlea of the inner ear, between the basilar and tectorial membranes. The actual sensory receptors are called inner hair cells. The outer hair cells serve other functions, such as sound amplification in the cochlea, and are not discussed in detail here.

Muscle Stimulation Frequency

Muscle Stimulation Frequency

The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Retraction Note: Effects of Novel Calpain Inhibitors in Transgenic Animal Model of Parkinson's disease/dementia with Lewy bodies.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

Neuroinflammation and Tinnitus.

Current topics in behavioral neurosciences·2021

Same author

Emerging Topics in the Behavioral Neuroscience of Tinnitus.

Current topics in behavioral neurosciences·2021

Same author

Effects of Novel Calpain Inhibitors in Transgenic Animal Model of Parkinson's disease/dementia with Lewy bodies.

Scientific reports·2018

Same author

Controlled cortical impact-induced neurodegeneration decreases after administration of the novel calpain-inhibitor Gabadur.

Brain research bulletin·2018

Same author

A Tribute to Robert W. Entenmann (Bob)-12/10/16.

The international tinnitus journal·2017

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

High-Speed Human Temporal Bone Sectioning for the Assessment of COVID-19-Associated Middle Ear Pathology

High-Speed Human Temporal Bone Sectioning for the Assessment of COVID-19-Associated Middle Ear Pathology

Published on: May 18, 2022

Bone-conduction propagation in the human body: implications for high-frequency therapy.

Martin L Lenhardt¹, Abraham Shulman, Barbara A Goldstein

¹Ceres Biotechnology, LLC, Program in Biomedical Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0168, USA. lenhardt@vcu.edu

The International Tinnitus Journal

|January 31, 2008

Summary

Fluid conduction, not bone, is key for sound transmission across the head. This finding impacts understanding unilateral hearing loss and the masking dilemma, even at high frequencies.

More Related Videos

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention

Published on: December 20, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

High-Speed Human Temporal Bone Sectioning for the Assessment of COVID-19-Associated Middle Ear Pathology

High-Speed Human Temporal Bone Sectioning for the Assessment of COVID-19-Associated Middle Ear Pathology

Published on: May 18, 2022

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention

Sound Source Localization Testing in Single-sided Deafness Following Bone Conduction Intervention

Published on: December 20, 2024

Area of Science:

Acoustics
Bioengineering
Otolaryngology

Background:

Understanding sound transmission through biological tissues is crucial for audiology.
The relative contribution of fluid versus bone pathways to head-related sound propagation remains incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of fluid and bone conduction in ultrasonic transmission across the human head.
To evaluate the effectiveness of different pathways for sound propagation in various simulated and in vivo conditions.

Main Methods:

Ultrasonic transmission was measured in a dry skull, a water-filled skull, a cadaver head, and six human subjects.
Measurements were conducted across a range of frequencies, including up to 80 kHz.

Main Results:

Fluid conduction was found to be essential for sound propagation across the head.
The bone pathway demonstrated significantly less effectiveness compared to the fluid pathway.
Minimal ear isolation (less than 10 dB) was observed even at high frequencies (up to 80 kHz).

Conclusions:

Fluid pathways are critical for sound transmission through the head, significantly outweighing bone conduction.
The limited ear isolation suggests implications for managing unilateral hearing loss and the masking dilemma.
These findings highlight the importance of fluid dynamics in auditory perception and intervention strategies.