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相结合的方式，以具有基本和翻译含义的方式处理基本过程，从而增加我们对耳蜗功能的了解。该程序集中在两个相互关联的领域：(1)耳蜗延时的水平依赖性；(2)在特定频率下，由于在其他频率上存在抑制物而对耳蜗反应增长的影响。抑制和水平相关的潜伏期共享一个共同的机制，这是主要负责耳蜗压。这些区域代表了受耳蜗性听力损失影响的正常耳蜗功能的特征，并可能通过结合复杂的信号处理策略的外部助听器来修复。该提案的前两个目的是为了进一步了解(1)耳蜗反射产生和(2)耳蜗瞬变的潜伏期和掩蔽性。耳蜗波反射率定义为压力波进入和离开耳蜗层之间的传递函数，它比其他测量耳蜗反应的方法更具优势。剩下的目的是确定(3)高频抑制对耳蜗失真发生器的影响和(4)低频抑制对耳蜗压的影响。通过与这四个目标相关的工作，既具有基本的科学兴趣又具有临床应用意义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.