Abstract
Dam** plays an important role in the middle ear (ME) sound transmission system. However, how to mechanically characterize the dam** of ME soft tissues and the role of dam** in ME sound transmission have not yet reached a consensus. In this paper, a finite element (FE) model of the partial external and ME of the human ear, considering both Rayleigh dam** and viscoelastic dam** for different soft tissues, is developed to quantitatively investigate the dam** in soft tissues effects on the wide-frequency response of the ME sound transmission system. The model-derived results can capture the high-frequency (above 2 kHz) fluctuations and obtain the 0.9 kHz resonant frequency (RF) of the stapes velocity transfer function (SVTF) response. The results show that the dam** of pars tensa (PT), stapedial annular ligament (SAL) and incudostapedial joints (ISJ) can help smooth the broadband response of the umbo and stapes footplate (SFP). It is found that, between 1 and 8 kHz, the dam** of the PT increases the magnitude and phase delay of the SVTF above 2 kHz while the dam** of the ISJ can avoid excessive phase delay of the SVTF, which is important in maintaining the synchronization in high-frequency vibration but has not been revealed before. Below 1 kHz, the dam** of the SAL plays a more important role, and it can decrease the magnitude but increases the phase delay of the SVTF. This study has implications for a better understanding of the mechanism of ME sound transmission.
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Abbreviations
- AML:
-
Anterior mallear ligament
- CT:
-
Computer tomography
- EC:
-
Ear canal
- FE:
-
Finite element
- IMJ:
-
Incudomalleolar joint
- ISJ:
-
Incudostapedial joint
- LML:
-
Lateral mallear ligament
- ME:
-
Middle ear
- PF:
-
Pars flaccida
- PIL:
-
Posterior incudal ligament
- PT:
-
Pars tensa
- RF:
-
Resonant frequency
- SAL:
-
Stapedial annular ligament
- SFP:
-
Stapes footplate
- SIL:
-
Superior incudal ligament
- SML:
-
Superior malleolar ligament
- SMT:
-
Stapedius muscle tendon
- SVTF:
-
Stapes velocity transfer function
- TA:
-
Tympanic annulus
- TM:
-
Tympanic membrane
- TMC:
-
Tympano-mallear connection
- TTT:
-
Tensor tympani tendon
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Acknowledgements
This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, under Grant No. 11972205, 11921002 and 11972210.
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Huibin Shi: Conceptualization, Methodology, Data Curation, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing-Original Draft, Writing-Review & Editing. Shuyi **ang: Methodology, Data Curation, Resources, Writing-Original Draft. Liang Wang: Resources, Validation. Yongtao Sun: Resources, Validation. Jie Wang: Methodology, Data Curation, Resources, Writing-Original Draft. Zhanli Liu: Conceptualization, Methodology, Resources, Writing-Original Draft, Writing-Review & Editing, Supervision, Project Administration, Funding Acquisition.
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Shi, H., ** and its role in sound transmission. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 22, 1003–1018 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-023-01696-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-023-01696-4