Modifications of Cochlear Responses by Oxygen Deprivation

Several workers have investigated the susceptibility of cochlear potentials to oxygen deprivation. The results showed that cochlear microphonics, action potentials, and DC resting potential are oxygen-dependent. Békésy1demonstrated that both cochlear microphonics and DC resting potential, as recorded from scala media, followed the same time-course decay during anoxia. Wever et al.2reported that in the cat the amplitude of cochlear microphonics diminished when the concentration of oxygen in the respirating gas mixture was below 4%. Lawrence and Wever3reported a detectable lesion in the organ of Corti of cats exposed to severe oxygen deprivation. However, Falbe-Hansen et al.4did not find such changes in guinea pigs and cats exposed to either acute or prolonged oxygen lack. Bornschein and Gernandt5showed that by repeating the exposure to anoxia, the neural components can be removed selectively from cochlear microphonics. But according to other investigations6this method