Cochlear Mechanics, Wave Propagation, and Compression

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议的研究计划将通过理论和实证研究的结合来增加我们对耳蜗功能的了解，这些研究以具有基本和翻译影响的方式解决基本过程。该计划侧重于两个相互关联的领域：（1）耳蜗延迟的水平依赖性和（2）由于在其他频率存在抑制剂，对耳蜗反应增长的影响在特定频率。抑制和电平依赖性潜伏期共享主要负责耳蜗压缩的共同机制。这些区域代表受耳蜗听力损失影响的正常耳蜗功能的特征，并且可能通过结合复杂信号处理策略的外部助听器进行补救。该提案的前两个目的是进一步了解（1）耳蜗反射率的产生和（2）耳蜗瞬变的潜伏期和掩蔽。耳蜗反射率被定义为进入和离开耳蜗的压力波之间的传递函数，并且比耳蜗响应的其他测量具有优势。其余目的是确定（3）高频抑制对耳蜗失真发生器的影响和（4）低频抑制对耳蜗压缩的影响。通过与这四个目标相关的工作，具有基本科学兴趣和应用临床相关性的问题将通过测量和建模工作的组合应用来回答。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed program of research will increase our knowledge of cochlear function through a combination of theoretical and empirical studies addressing fundamental processes in ways that have both basic and translational implications. The program focuses on two interrelated areas: (1) the level-dependence of cochlear delays and (2) the effect on cochlear response growth at a particular frequency due to the presence of suppressors at other frequencies. Suppression and level-dependent latency share a common mechanism that is primarily responsible for cochlear compression. These areas represent features of normal cochlear function that are affected by cochlear hearing loss and potentially may be remediated by external hearing aids that incorporate sophisticated signal-processing strategies. The first two Aims of the proposal are to further understand (1) cochlear-reflectance generation and (2) the latency and masking of cochlear transients. Cochlear reflectance is defined as a transfer function between pressure waves entering and exiting the cochlea, and has advantages over other measures of cochlear responses. The remaining Aims are to determine the influence of (3) high-frequency suppression on cochlear distortion generators and (4) low- frequency suppression on cochlear compression. Through the work related to these four Aims, questions that possess both basic scientific interest and applied clinical relevance wil be answered by combined application of measurement and modeling efforts.