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

Hearing

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.

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.

The Auditory Ossicles

The Auditory Ossicles

The auditory ossicles of the middle ear transmit sounds from the air as vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea. The auditory ossicles consist of two malleus (hammer) bones, two incus (anvil) bones, and two stapes (stirrups), one on each side. These bones develop during the fetal stage and are the ones to ossify first. They are fully mature at birth and do not grow afterward.
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...

Auditory Perception

Auditory Perception

The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...

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.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Translating Music to Touch: Exploring Tactile Perception of Pitch, Roughness, and Pleasantness.

IEEE transactions on haptics·2026

Same author

Vibrotactile speech cues are associated with enhanced auditory processing in middle and superior temporal gyri.

Scientific reports·2025

Same author

Preliminary Evaluation of a Computerized Auditory Training Program to Enhance Binaural Listening Skills in Children with Specific Learning Disabilities.

Iranian journal of child neurology·2025

Same author

Cochlear Synaptopathy in Full-Term Neonates: A Case-Control Study of NICU Hospitalization Impact.

Indian journal of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery : official publication of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India·2025

Same author

Behavioural and electrophysiological assessment of temporal resolution in normally-hearing listeners with tinnitus.

International journal of audiology·2025

Same author

Perceived auditory dynamic range is enhanced with wrist-based tactile stimulation.

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages

Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages

Published on: March 24, 2023

A cochlear implant user with exceptional musical hearing ability.

Mohammad Maarefvand¹, Jeremy Marozeau, Peter J Blamey

¹Bionics Institute, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. MMaarefvand@bionicsinstitute.org

International Journal of Audiology

|March 21, 2013

Summary

Cochlear implants (CI) can enable excellent music perception, even pitch discrimination, in some users. This study highlights factors contributing to exceptional musical abilities in a CI user, challenging previous assumptions.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages

Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages

Published on: March 24, 2023

Area of Science:

Audiology
Neuroscience
Music Perception

Background:

Music perception is often limited in cochlear implant (CI) users.
However, some individuals demonstrate remarkable musical abilities despite CI use.

Observation:

This study assessed music perception in an exceptional adult CI user with a musical background.
Tests included pitch, melody, timbre recognition, and consonance rating.

Findings:

The CI user showed near-perfect melody recognition and excellent pitch discrimination.
Her performance in timbre recognition surpassed average CI user data.
Consonance, relative, and absolute pitch perception were comparable to musically trained, normally-hearing individuals.

Implications:

Excellent music perception is achievable with current cochlear implant technology.
Factors like short deafness duration and extensive musical training may contribute to exceptional performance.
This research expands the understanding of music perception possibilities for cochlear implant recipients.