Are nonlinearities observed in firing rates of auditory-nerve afferents reflections of a nonlinear coupling between the tectorial membrane and the organ of Corti?

Shear motion between the reticular lamina and the tectorial membrane at the location of the inner hair cells, studied on a network model of the cochlea with a nonlinear coupling between the two structures, exhibits the same type of nonlinearities as seen in the firing rates of auditory-nerve afferents. They include wave form distortions, phase changes and nonmonotonic dependence of the output amplitude on the cochlear input amplitude.