01902nas a2200169   4500008004100000020001400041245006100055210006100116260000800177300001200185490000700197520143000204100001301634700002201647700001801669856004501687       2012                        eng d  a1525-396100aReverse Transmission along the Ossicular Chain in Gerbil0 aReverse Transmission along the Ossicular Chain in Gerbil  cAug  a447-4590 v133 aIn a healthy cochlea stimulated with two tones f (1) and f (2), combination tones are generated by the cochlea's active process and its associated nonlinearity. These distortion tones travel "in reverse" through the middle ear. They can be detected with a sensitive microphone in the ear canal (EC) and are known as distortion product otoacoustic emissions. Comparisons of ossicular velocity and EC pressure responses at distortion product frequencies allowed us to evaluate the middle ear transmission in the reverse direction along the ossicular chain. In the current study, the gerbil ear was stimulated with two equal-intensity tones with fixed f (2)/f (1) ratio of 1.05 or 1.25. The middle ear ossicles were accessed through an opening of the pars flaccida, and their motion was measured in the direction in line with the stapes piston-like motion using a laser interferometer. When referencing the ossicular motion to EC pressure, an additional amplitude loss was found in reverse transmission compared to the gain in forward transmission, similar to previous findings relating intracochlear and EC pressure. In contrast, sound transmission along the ossicular chain was quite similar in forward and reverse directions. The difference in middle ear transmission in forward and reverse directions is most likely due to the different load impedances-the cochlea in forward transmission and the EC in reverse transmission.1 aDong, W.1 aDecraemer, W., F.1 aOlson, E., S.  uhttps://nematodes.myspecies.info/node/68