Abstract
The effects of cooling rats from 37°C to 27°C and rewarming to 37°C on the conductive mechanism of the middle ear was studied by means of acoustic impedance measurements. Cooling reduced middle ear compliance reversibly, without an effect on external canal volume and middle ear pressure. These results provide evidence for an increase in the stiffness of the tympanic membrane and/or of the ossicular chain and/or a decrease in stapes mobility. Thus a small part of the decrease in the magnitude of otoacoustic emissions during cooling is due to an effect on the conductive mechanism of the middle ear.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 127-132 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1997 |
Keywords
- hypothermia
- impedance
- tympanometry