Stochastic resonance in cochlear signal transduction

The use of a stochastic resonance model contributes crucially to our compre hension of the intensity resolution characteristics of the mammalian cochle a. In guinea pigs, as demonstrated by different statistical methods, the te mporal distribution of the interspike intervals of the spontaneous activity reflects an intrinsic cochlear white noise process, demanded as basic requ irement for manifest stochastic resonance phenomena. Brownian motion of coc hlear fluids is discussed as the underlying white noise motor. Following ou r model, the amount of whits noise, adjusted at the level of the stereocili a of the inner hair cells, determines the threshold, dynamic range and inte nsity discrimination limen of an individual afferent neuron of the mammalia n cochlear.