Good Vibrations

Published31 Aug 2015
Reviewed31 Aug 2015
Author Alexis Wnuk
Source BrainFacts/SfN

The cells in the cochlea are arranged like a wagon wheel, as seen above in a mouse. The green “spokes” carry signals to the brain while the cells in red send signals back from the brain to the cochlea. Scientists now know that the cells in red are particularly important for protecting hearing.

Druckenbrod, et al. The Journal of Neuroscience, 2015.

Our ability to hear depends on the sensory organs of the inner ear, including a snail-shaped structure called the cochlea. It contains sensory cells — called hair cells — that sense vibrations in the air and send electrical signals to the brain, allowing us to perceive sound. This image shows the cochlea of a neonatal mouse, with hair cells in red. Scientists have found that signals from brainstem nerve fibers (green) are important for the normal development and function of hair cells.

About the Author

Alexis Wnuk

Alexis is the science writer and editor for BrainFacts.org. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2012 with degrees in neuroscience and English.