Addressed exponential delay line theory of cochlear organization.

Abstract

SINGLE unit studies of the auditory nerve, such as that of Tasaki1, have shown that the neurones innervating the cochlea are in general sharply tuned, each to its own characteristic frequency (CF). In response to a sharp click a unit of mid or low CF tends to fire repetitively and at preferred times, as if stimulated by a poorly damped resonator very sharply tuned to its CF2. In contrast, the travelling wave generated as the mechanical response to a pure tone, as measured by von Bekesy3, has a relatively flat amplitude envelope and the impulse response for the basilar membrane computed on the basis of von Bekesy's data indicates that the system is highly damped4. We propose a fresh approach, not based on the principle of mechanical resonance5–7.