Cochlear electrical model for the interpretation of tinnitus

If a model for the auditory system from the ear canal to the auditory cortex could be established, it would be a great contribution to the diagnosis and treatment of tinnitus patients. In this study, existing models for the auditory system were examined, and a model which can best explain tinnitus phenomena was established. In a new model, the reticular lamina, a thin fluid layer which transmits energy in a cochlea, was assumed as a mass and components for the stiffness and control were added to the model. Mathematical interpretation was performed to compare the zeros and poles of the transfer function between existing models and newly designed model. The results showed that the values of zeros were lower than that of the poles which coincides with the results obtained from animal neural data.