Electrical network model for the generation and distribution of cochlear potentials.

Abstract

An electrical network model for the generation and distribution of the cochlear microphonic(CM) and the summating potential(SP) is presented and simulated by computer. In the model, inner and outer hair cells are represented by circuits composed of variable resistors, nonlinear resistors, capacitors, and batteries. In addition, branch circuits are connected to the outer hair cell circuits, as the representation of the postsynaptic membranes at the inhibitory synapses. The simulations of the CM and SP as functions of stimulus frequency, intensity, and recording position qualitatively agree well with measurements. Further, the CM and SP are simulated under three different conditions:1. mechanical biasing of the basilar membrane;2. obliteration of the outer hair cells;3. stimulation of the crossed olivo-cochlear bundles(COCB). The responses provide qualitatively good agreement with measurements.