The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing
The conventional theory about the snail shell shape of the mammalian cochlea is that it evolved essentially and perhaps solely to conserve space inside the skull. Recently, a theory proposed that the spiral's graded curvature enhances the cochlea's mechanical response to low frequencies. T...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
National Academy of Sciences
2008
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46793 |
| _version_ | 1848757659043364864 |
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| author | Manoussaki, D. Chadwick, R. Ketten, Darlene Arruda, J. Dimitriadis, E. O’Malley, J. |
| author_facet | Manoussaki, D. Chadwick, R. Ketten, Darlene Arruda, J. Dimitriadis, E. O’Malley, J. |
| author_sort | Manoussaki, D. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The conventional theory about the snail shell shape of the mammalian cochlea is that it evolved essentially and perhaps solely to conserve space inside the skull. Recently, a theory proposed that the spiral's graded curvature enhances the cochlea's mechanical response to low frequencies. This article provides a multispecies analysis of cochlear shape to test this theory and demonstrates that the ratio of the radii of curvature from the outermost and innermost turns of the cochlear spiral is a significant cochlear feature that correlates strongly with low-frequency hearing limits. The ratio, which is a measure of curvature gradient, is a reflection of the ability of cochlear curvature to focus acoustic energy at the outer wall of the cochlear canal as the wave propagates toward the apex of the cochlea. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:31:36Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-46793 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:31:36Z |
| publishDate | 2008 |
| publisher | National Academy of Sciences |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-467932017-02-28T01:47:35Z The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing Manoussaki, D. Chadwick, R. Ketten, Darlene Arruda, J. Dimitriadis, E. O’Malley, J. The conventional theory about the snail shell shape of the mammalian cochlea is that it evolved essentially and perhaps solely to conserve space inside the skull. Recently, a theory proposed that the spiral's graded curvature enhances the cochlea's mechanical response to low frequencies. This article provides a multispecies analysis of cochlear shape to test this theory and demonstrates that the ratio of the radii of curvature from the outermost and innermost turns of the cochlear spiral is a significant cochlear feature that correlates strongly with low-frequency hearing limits. The ratio, which is a measure of curvature gradient, is a reflection of the ability of cochlear curvature to focus acoustic energy at the outer wall of the cochlear canal as the wave propagates toward the apex of the cochlea. 2008 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46793 National Academy of Sciences restricted |
| spellingShingle | Manoussaki, D. Chadwick, R. Ketten, Darlene Arruda, J. Dimitriadis, E. O’Malley, J. The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing |
| title | The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing |
| title_full | The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing |
| title_fullStr | The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing |
| title_full_unstemmed | The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing |
| title_short | The influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing |
| title_sort | influence of cochlear shape on low-frequency hearing |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/46793 |