Cochlear micromechanics--a mechanism for transforming mechanical to neural tuning within the cochlea.

A linear mathematical model is proposed which will account for the differences observed between mechanically measured data of Rhode (1971) for basilar membrane motion, and the responses of neural tuning curves (Kiang et al., 1974). We show that theoretical tuning curves may be derived from mechanical responses by forming the difference between the pressure across the basilar membrane and its displacement. Some ramifications of this proposal are discussed. We then propose a hypothetical physical model which could perform such a function.