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Related Concept Videos

Hearing01:31

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 Cells01:22

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.
The Cochlea01:13

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.
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

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...
Auditory Pathway01:15

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...
Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location01:21

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse
11:45

Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

Published on: February 11, 2011

Frequency composition of spontaneous cochlear emissions.

W Fritze, W Köhler

    Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
    |January 1, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary

    Spontaneous cochlear emissions generate sinus tones with widening frequency shifts. These shifts suggest individual hair cells drive oscillations within the cochlea.

    Area of Science:

    • Auditory Neuroscience
    • Otoacoustic Emissions

    Background:

    • Spontaneous cochlear emissions are auditory phenomena.
    • Understanding their origin is crucial for diagnosing hearing disorders.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To analyze the spectral characteristics of spontaneous cochlear emissions.
    • To investigate the underlying mechanisms of cochlear oscillations.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of spontaneous cochlear emission recordings.
    • Spectral analysis of auditory signals.

    Main Results:

    • Spontaneous cochlear emissions comprise sinus tones.
    • Observed oscillations and frequency shifts broaden averaged traces.
    • Multiple peaks exhibit frequency-dependent spacing (2-3%) and a frequency jump was noted.

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    Performing Intracochlear Electrocochleography During Cochlear Implantation
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    Performing Intracochlear Electrocochleography During Cochlear Implantation

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    Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

    Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse
    11:45

    Postsynaptic Recordings at Afferent Dendrites Contacting Cochlear Inner Hair Cells: Monitoring Multivesicular Release at a Ribbon Synapse

    Published on: February 11, 2011

    Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea
    09:54

    Morphological and Functional Evaluation of Ribbon Synapses at Specific Frequency Regions of the Mouse Cochlea

    Published on: May 10, 2019

    Performing Intracochlear Electrocochleography During Cochlear Implantation
    09:10

    Performing Intracochlear Electrocochleography During Cochlear Implantation

    Published on: March 8, 2022

  • These patterns correlate with hair cell spacing, implicating individual hair cells.

    • Conclusions:

    • Individual hair cells are likely key drivers of cochlear oscillations.
    • The observed frequency patterns may reflect hair cell arrangement in the cochlea.