The physiology of the normal and pathological cochlear neurones--some recent advances

This is the first of two auditory science tutorials designed for otolaryngologists, audiologists, and others dealing with deafness and its consequences. This tutorial is intended as an update on recent advances in the understanding of cochlear function both in the normal person and in patients with hearing loss of cochlear origin. It draws largely on studies involving electrophysiological recordings from cochlear nerve fibres in "animal models" of cochlear hearing loss. These data allow considerable insight into the underlying causes, for example, loudness recruitment, tinnitus, and poor speech intelligibility. Areas of scientific ignorance are also mentioned. This is not an exhaustive review of the literature but rather a general overview. The style of the tutorial is not starchily scientific, contains minimum jargon, and is intended to make easy reading.