Effect of the Middle Ear Reflex on the Ossicular Vibrations

Abstract

The effect of the middle ear reflex (MER) on cochlear microphonics (CM) and middle ear impedance has been reported. However, its effect on ossicular vibrations has not been clarified. In this study, using Laser Doppler Velocimeter (LDV), ossicular vibrations of guinea pigs and rabbits were measured directly when contralateral stimuli were presented to induce the MER. The measured results revealed that the amplitude of ossicular vibrations decreased with an increase in the stimulus intensity, and that the attenuation of ossicular vibrations at low frequencies was larger than at high frequencies. Also, from these results, the mode change of the ossicular vibrations before and after stimulation was speculated.