We developed a nonlinear multiphysics (mechanical-electrical-acoustical) finite element model of the cochlea. This model couples the fluid mechanics in the cochlear ducts with the vibrations of the Organ of Corti and the mechanical-electrical feedback by the outer hair cells.
Using this computational framework, we investigated the following scientific questions:
- role of hair bundle motility in cochlear amplification
- effect of longitudinal coupling in cochlear mechanics
- characteristics of the nonlinear response of the cochlea to pure tones and of two-tone suppression (a form of nonlinear interaction when the cochlea is stimulated by two primary tones) in response to two tones
We have developed linear frequency domain models, nonlinear frequency domain models (based on an alternative time-frequency method) and nonlinear time-domain models (based on a state-space formulation).
Publications:
- Meaud, J., Grosh, K., 2010, The effect of tectorial membrane and basilar membrane longitudinal coupling in cochlear mechanics, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 127:1411-1420
- Meaud, J., Grosh, K., 2011, Coupling active hair bundle mechanics, fast adaptation and somatic motility in a cochlear model, Biophysical Journal, 100:2576-2585
- Meaud, J., Grosh, K., 2012, Response to a pure tone in a nonlinear mechanical-electrical-acoustical model of the cochlea, Biophysical Journal, 102:1237-1246
- Meaud, J., Grosh, K., 2014, Effect of the attachment of the tectorial membrane on cochlear micromechanics and two-tone suppression, Biophysical Journal, 106(6):1398-1405
- Meaud, J., Lemons, C., 2015, Nonlinear response to a click in a time-domain model of the mammalian ear, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 138(1):193-207