How OHC Lesions Can Lead to Neural Cochlear Hypersensitivity

Abstract

Several laboratories, including ours, have found that damage to OHCs—but not to IHCs—can produce hypersensitivity of cochlear nerve afferents to low-frequency sound in the presence of hyposensitivity at the characteristic frequency (CF). It is possible to explain the paradox by a mechanical coupling of the OHCs and IHCs through the tectorial membrane, for which there is accumulating experimental evidence. No direct contact between the IHC stereocilia and the tectorial membrane is required.