Distortion product emissions from a cochlear model with nonlinear mechanoelectrical transduction in outer hair cells

A model of cochlear mechanics is described in which force-producing outer hair cells (OHC) are embedded in a passive cochlear partition. The OHC mechanoelectrical transduction current is nonlinearly modulated by reticular-lamina (RL) motion, and the resulting change in OHC membrane voltage produces contraction between the RL and the basilar membrane (BM). Model parameters were chosen to produce a tonotopic map typical of a human cochlea. Time-domain simulations showed compressive BM displacement responses typical of mammalian cochleae. Distortion product (DP) otoacoustic emissions at 2 f ₁ - f₂ are plotted as isolevel contours against primary levels (L₁, L₂) for various primary frequencies f ₁ and f₂ (f₁ < f₂). The L ₁ at which the DP reaches its maximum level increases as L ₂ increases, and the slope of the "optimal" linear path decreases as f₂ / f₁ increases. When primary levels and f₂ are fixed, DP level is band passed against f₁. In the presence of a suppressor, DP level generally decreases as suppressor level increases and as suppressor frequency gets closer to f₂; however, there are exceptions. These results, being similar to data from human ears, suggest that the model could be used for testing hypotheses regarding DP generation and propagation in human cochleae.