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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...

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.

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.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 11, 2026

Immunolabeling and Counting Ribbon Synapses in Young Adult and Aged Gerbil Cochleae

Immunolabeling and Counting Ribbon Synapses in Young Adult and Aged Gerbil Cochleae

Published on: April 21, 2022

Parallel Age-Related Cochlear Neural Degeneration and Cortical Gain Adaptation in Normal-Hearing Humans.

J Märcher-Rørsted¹, S A Fuglsang^2,3, G Encina-Llamas^4,5

¹Hearing Systems Section, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby 2800, Denmark jonmarc@dtu.dk jhjort@dtu.dk.

The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience

|April 9, 2026

Summary

Aging causes neural degeneration in the cochlea and brain, impacting sound processing. Even with normal hearing, brain changes, not just ear decline, contribute to auditory hyperactivity in older adults.

Keywords:

aging auditory cortex auditory system cochlea electrophysiology neurodegeneration

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Semi-Automated Analysis of Peak Amplitude and Latency for Auditory Brainstem Response Waveforms Using R

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Published on: December 9, 2022

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Auditory Neuroscience
Gerontology

Background:

Aging is linked to neural degeneration in the cochlea, potentially causing 'hidden' hearing loss.
Central auditory pathway hyperactivity is observed with cochlear decline, but also with age-related brain changes.
The exact contribution of peripheral versus central aging to auditory processing changes remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how age-related cochlear neural degeneration affects brain responses to sound.
To differentiate between peripheral and central contributions to auditory processing changes in aging.
To assess auditory cortical function in relation to cochlear neural health across an age-diverse cohort.

Main Methods:

Collected physiological data on cochlear neural health from 105 participants (ages 18-77).
Measured auditory brainstem responses (ABR wave I and V) and frequency-following responses.
Assessed auditory cortical function using evoked potentials and repetition suppression paradigms.

Main Results:

Clinically normal hearing individuals showed age-related cochlear neural degeneration (reduced ABR wave I and frequency-following responses).
Auditory cortex exhibited enhanced transient responses and reduced repetition suppression in older adults.
Cortical functional changes did not significantly correlate with cochlear neural degeneration measures.

Conclusions:

Primary brain aging, not solely cochlear degeneration, contributes to auditory cortical hyperactivity and altered gain adaptation.
Age-related changes in inhibitory neurotransmission may drive central auditory processing alterations.
Auditory system aging involves parallel degeneration in both peripheral and central neural components.