The physiological and pathophysiological aspects of the human cochlea: a review

Manish Munjal; Shubham Munjal; Hardeep Kaur; Vineeta Arora; Aditi Randev; Sakshi Jeriwal; Prachi Bharadwaj; Namit Mittal; Navya Mittal; Anjana Pillai

doi:10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20252265

Authors

Manish Munjal Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Shubham Munjal Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Hardeep Kaur Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Vineeta Arora Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Aditi Randev Department of Medicine, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Sakshi Jeriwal Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Prachi Bharadwaj Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Namit Mittal Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Navya Mittal Department of ENT-Head and Neck Surgery, Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Anjana Pillai Department of Dental Surgery, BJS Dental College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20252265

Keywords:

Cochlea, Physiology, Pathology, Pathophysiology

Abstract

The fluids of the membranous labyrinth are in a state of dynamic equilibrium with the intracranial cerebrospinal fluid. Mechanical shifts in the ear canal, middle and inner ear due to tympanic, ossicular, and basilar membrane displacements are likely to result in electrolyte alterations with the generation of nerve impulses. Sound wave, depending on its frequency, attains maximum amplitude at a particular site on the basilar membrane and stimulates that very segment. Higher frequencies are represented at the basal turn of the cochlea, and the progressively lower ones towards the apex. The disturbance in the milieu interior is consequent to auditory and vestibular impairments. Physiology of the cochlea is altered in varied conditions like hypertension, renal disease, syphilis, chronic suppurative otitis media, diabetes, and noise trauma. The unique physio-pathology of the membranous labyrinth shall be elaborated.

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References

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