MECHANICS OF THE ORGAN OF CORTI

目的是了解机械的作用 （流体弹性粘弹性）活动在转换成声音 受体细胞刺激 这将是数学的延续 适当采用波的渐近技术的研究 分析. 这项工作的基本原则是只使用生理上的 数学模型中的参数。 最近的结果是（1）频率 沿着耳蜗的定位可以仅根据宽度来解释， 基底膜梳状带的厚度和纤维密度; (2)BMP的反应受耳蜗弯曲度、开口度的影响较小 以及一个阶的部分引流，以及Corti器官的细节 刚度;（3）调谐耳蜗谐振器，发现在马蹄蝙蝠， 导致BM振幅在频率处的急剧下降，而不是峰值 （4）DC流必须是耳蜗的重要特征 功能 蝙蝠耳蜗的研究结果表明， 思想是不正确的。 拟议工作的具体成果包括： (1)从二维到三维的“大型有限元”方法的扩展 耳蜗模型 这是一种结合计算 具有直接数值计算能力的“WKB”方法的效率 处理不连续性的方法。 具体来说， 将测定蹄铁蝠分区反应。 (2)器官的真实非耦合微力学模型的开发 Corti和脑沟液流。 定量计算了 将执行流体流的交替和流动分量， 有和没有“活动”进程。 蝙蝠和鳄鱼蜥蜴 将详细检查耳蜗。 了解人类听觉和 如果围绕这些专业化的问题， 耳蜗可以分辨。

The objective is to understand the role of the mechanical (fluid-elastic-visco-elastic) activity in the transformation of sound into receptor cell stimulation. This will be a continuation of mathematical studies involving appropriate adoptation of asymptotic techniques of wave analysis. Fundamental to this work is the use of only physiological parameters in the mathematical models. Recent results are (1) frequency localization along the cochlea can be explained in terms of only the width, thickness and fiber density of the basilar membrane pectinate zone (PMP); (2) the response of BMP is little affected by cochlear curvature, opening and partial draining of one scala, and by details of the organ of Corti stiffness; (3) a tuned cochlear resonator, found in the horseshoe bat, causes a sharp drop, rather than a peak, in BM amplitude at the frequency of tuning; and (4) DC streaming must be an important feature of cochlear function. The bat cochlea results indicate that much of the current thought is incorrect. Specific accomplishments in the proposed work are to include: (1) Extension of the "large finite element" approach from 2-D to 3-D cochlear models. This is an approach which combines the computational efficiency of the 'WKB' method with the capability of direct numerical methods for handling discontinuities. Specifically, the details of the horseshoe bat partition response will be determined. (2) Development of a realistic uncoupled micromechanical model of the organ of Corti and sulcus fluid flow. A quantitative calculation for the alternating and streaming components of fluid flow will be carried out, both with and without "active" processes. The bat and alligator lizard cochleas will be examined in detail. Understanding human hearing and the disorders will be advanced if the questions surrounding these specialized cochleas can be resolved.