A Possible Neuro-Mechanical Sound Analysis in the Cochlea

On the basis of recordings from single auditory-nerve fibers of normal and kanamycin-treated Mongolian gerbils, it is concluded that the inner and outer hair cells of the cochlea interact and that their inputs to the radial fibers are in phase opposition. The phase opposition, in connection with the expected effect of the afferent spiral fibers, is shown to provide a sufficient mechanism for the experimentally observed neural sharpening of the mechanical frequency analysis in the cochlea.