Abstract
The operating point (OP) of outer hair cell (OHC) mechanotransduction can be defined as any shift away from the center position on the transduction function. It is a dc offset that can be described by percentage of the maximum transduction current or as an equivalent dc pressure in the ear canal. The change of OP can be determined from the changes of the second and third harmonics of the cochlear microphonic (CM) following a calibration of its initial value. We found that the initial OP was dependent on sound level and cochlear sensitivity. From CM generated by a lower sound level at 74dB SPL to avoid saturation and suppression of basal turn cochlear amplification, the OHC OP was at constant 57% of the maximum transduction current (an ear canal pressure of −0.1Pa). To perturb the OP, a constant force was applied to the bony shell of the cochlea at the 18kHz best frequency location using a blunt probe. The force applied over the scala tympani induced an OP change as if the organ of Corti moved toward the s...
Published Version
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