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Related Concept Videos

The Cochlea01:13

The Cochlea

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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.
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Anatomy of the Ear01:16

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Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...
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The Auditory Ossicles01:11

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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.
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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...
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Hair Cells01:22

Hair Cells

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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.
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Hearing01:31

Hearing

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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.
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A Lightweight, Headphones-based System for Manipulating Auditory Feedback in Songbirds
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Active amplification in insect ears: mechanics, models and molecules.

Natasha Mhatre1

  • 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland road, Bristol, BS8 1UG, UK, natasha.mhatre@gmail.com.

Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
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Summary

Active auditory amplification, found in vertebrates and recently insects, enhances hearing sensitivity. Its presence in diverse insect ears suggests an ancestral trait, opening new research avenues in acoustic communication.

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Area of Science:

  • Auditory biophysics
  • Insect bioacoustics
  • Neurobiology

Background:

  • Active auditory amplification enhances sensitivity and acuity by amplifying mechanical input.
  • While known in vertebrates, this mechanism was recently discovered in insects, specifically dipterans (mosquitoes, flies) and orthopterans.
  • The independent evolution in different insect lineages suggests it may be an ancestral trait.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Establish benchmarks for identifying active amplification in auditory systems.
  • Review current evidence of active amplification in various insect ears.
  • Examine proposed models for active amplification mechanisms in vertebrates and insects.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of active auditory amplification.
  • Analysis of mechanical, neurobiological, and genetic evidence for proposed models.
  • Comparative study of auditory systems in different insect groups.

Main Results:

  • Active amplification is a sophisticated energy-expending mechanism for enhanced auditory input.
  • Evidence suggests active amplification is present in diverse insect auditory systems, including antennae and tympanal ears.
  • Multiple models exist to explain the mechanisms of active amplification.

Conclusions:

  • The discovery of active amplification in multiple insect lineages indicates it may be an ancestral trait.
  • Further research into insect auditory systems can reveal more instances of active amplification.
  • This finding has significant implications for understanding acoustic communication, behavior, and neurobiology.