Some functional and morphologic correlates in inner ear pathologies: first observations using electrically evoked/pure tone derived potentials.

After reviewing a typical example of functional and morphologic correlations in a cochlear and vestibular comparative study of three aminoglycosidic antibiotics and discussing clinical and experimental observations in Menière's disease and experimental endolymphatic hydrops, some difficulties in studying morphofunctional correlations are discussed. A particular electrophysiologic method, based on electrical stimulation of the ear and acoustic masking, notably with continuous pure tones, is illustrated in normal and pathologic experimental conditions in the guinea pig. This method, which allows the observation of frequency-specific compound responses, whatever the frequency, should find useful experimental and clinical applications, particularly because it allows accurate measurements at low frequencies.