The Coarse Pattern of the Electrical Resistance in the Cochlea of the Guinea Pig (Electroanatomy of the Cochlea)

Abstract

With the knowledge now available concerning the mechanical properties of the cochlea, it is possible to understand how movements of the stapes footplate are transmitted to and along the cochlear partition. But we know little about the electrical constants inside the cochlea (the resistances and capacitances). It is difficult therefore to draw conclusions about how voltages at a given point are transmitted to other parts of the cochlea, for instance, how microphonic voltages are transmitted to the round window. This paper tries to show that for parts of the cochlea near the two windows the cochlear tube (consisting of the two scalae and the cochlear duct) can be considered electrically as a transmission line. The characteristic values of this transmission line are measured for different distances from the windows. In this way, a start has been made toward the development of a type of electroanatomy. The impedance values of the cochlear partition are important for determining the electrical energy losses in the cochlea.