Abstract
Electrophonic excitation from electrical stimulation of the cochlea was investigated in seven cats by examining the forward masking of the compound action potential (CAP) to acoustic probes using pulsatile and sinusoidal electrical maskers. Monopolar electrical stimulation of the round window or bipolar stimulation of the basal turn of the scala tympani elicited electrophonic excitation at regions of the cochlea acoustically tuned to the frequency of electrical stimulation (i.e., remote from the electrodes). This was true for a cat with no organ of Corti in the region of the stimulating electrodes. CAP tuning curves for electrophonic excitation appeared similar to those measured with acoustic stimulation. Masking was measured for electrical stimulus frequencies as high as 20 kHz (the highest tested). The spatial profile of excitation along the length of the cochlea was estimated by variation of the probe frequency. This showed peaks of excitation at cochlear locations acoustically tuned to the electrical stimulus frequency and its harmonics. The results suggest that a traveling wave along the basilar membrane, in part, explains electrophonic hearing.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
