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The cochlea is part of the inner ear and consists of a snail-shaped structure containing three fluid-filled cavities – one of which, the scala media cavity, contains the organ of corti. The cochlea transduces incoming soundwaves into specific patterns of neural output, which are conveyed to the parts of the auditory parts of the brain.
Direct visualization of synaptic ribbons in neonatal and juvenile mouse cochlea demonstrates that excitotoxic stimulus or noise exposure induces increases in ribbon volume and movement.
Spontaneous activity in the developing auditory system is maintained by a homeostatic mechanism and is important for cochlear neuron subtype specification.
