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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.

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...

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.

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.

Operational Amplifiers

Operational Amplifiers

The operational amplifier, often referred to as an op-amp, is a multifaceted building block of a circuit. This electronic component functions like a voltage-controlled voltage source and can also be used to create a voltage- or current-controlled current source. The design of an operational amplifier enables it to execute mathematical operations when external components like resistors and capacitors are linked to its terminals. An op-amp has the capacity to sum signals, amplify a signal,...

Instrumentation Amplifier

Instrumentation Amplifier

An electrocardiography (ECG) machine is an essential piece of medical equipment used to monitor the electrical activity of the heart. It operates by detecting small electrical changes on the skin that result from the depolarization of the heart muscle during each heartbeat. However, these signals are in the microvolt range and can be easily overwhelmed by noise or interference.
To overcome this challenge, an ECG machine utilizes an instrumentation amplifier. This specialized amplifier is...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

Enhanced Cochlear Coverage and Hearing Preservation in High-Frequency Hearing Loss via Electric Acoustic Stimulation with Longer Electrode

Enhanced Cochlear Coverage and Hearing Preservation in High-Frequency Hearing Loss via Electric Acoustic Stimulation with Longer Electrode

Published on: October 11, 2024

Detection of cochlear amplification and its activation.

Wei Dong¹, Elizabeth S Olson

¹Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

Biophysical Journal

|August 27, 2013

Summary

This study provides concrete evidence for cochlear power amplification, demonstrating how outer hair cells (OHCs) boost hearing sensitivity and frequency resolution through electromechanical forces.

Area of Science:

Auditory Neuroscience
Bioengineering
Mechanobiology

Background:

Mammalian hearing relies on the cochlea's active amplifier, driven by outer hair cells (OHCs).
The precise electromechanical mechanisms of this cochlear amplifier remain incompletely understood.
OHC function is crucial for auditory sensitivity and frequency selectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the electromechanical processes underlying the cochlear amplifier at the cellular/tissue interface.
To provide direct evidence for power amplification within the cochlea.
To elucidate the role of outer hair cell forces in auditory signal processing.

Main Methods:

Development and utilization of a novel dual-sensor combining microelectrode and micro-pressure sensor.

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Optogenetic Stimulation of the Auditory Nerve

Optogenetic Stimulation of the Auditory Nerve

Published on: October 8, 2014

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Last Updated: May 8, 2026

Enhanced Cochlear Coverage and Hearing Preservation in High-Frequency Hearing Loss via Electric Acoustic Stimulation with Longer Electrode

Enhanced Cochlear Coverage and Hearing Preservation in High-Frequency Hearing Loss via Electric Acoustic Stimulation with Longer Electrode

Published on: October 11, 2024

Optogenetic Stimulation of the Auditory Nerve

Optogenetic Stimulation of the Auditory Nerve

Published on: October 8, 2014

Simultaneous in vivo measurement of sound-evoked intracochlear pressure and extracellular voltage.

Correlation of OHC electrical activity with basilar membrane pressure and displacement.

Main Results:

Direct evidence for cochlear power amplification was observed through coincident measurements.
A phase shift between voltage and mechanical responses was detected near the amplification onset.
This phase shift suggests effective OHC pumping forces contributing to the traveling wave.

Conclusions:

The study provides the most concrete evidence to date for cochlear power amplification.
Outer hair cell somatic forces are identified as the source of this amplification.
The observed phase shift mechanism is proposed to sharpen frequency tuning in the cochlea.