Definition

1. Noun:
   • A membrane in the cochlea that supports the organ of Corti: The basilar membrane is a critical structural component within the inner ear's cochlea. It is a stiff, ribbon-like membrane that separates two fluid-filled tubes (scala media and scala tympani) and provides the base upon which the sensory organ of hearing, the organ of Corti, rests.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Sound vibrations cause the basilar membrane to vibrate, stimulating hair cells in the organ of Corti.
  • Damage to the basilar membrane can lead to hearing loss.
  • The basilar membrane is wider and more flexible at its apex than at its base.

Advanced Usage

• "Basilar membrane tuning": Refers to the property where different frequencies of sound cause maximum vibration at specific locations along the basilar membrane.

  • The phenomenon of basilar membrane tuning is fundamental to frequency discrimination in hearing.

• "Basilar membrane displacement": Describes the physical movement of the membrane in response to sound waves.

  • Researchers measured the basilar membrane displacement in response to a pure tone.

Variants and Related Words

• Basilar (adj): Pertaining to or located at the base. Often used in anatomical terms (e.g., basilar artery, basilar part of the occipital bone).
• Membrane (n): A thin, pliable layer of tissue covering surfaces or separating or connecting regions, structures, or organs of an animal or plant.

Synonyms

• Cochlear partition (in specific auditory physiological contexts, though this term can be broader).
• None are perfect synonyms; "basilar membrane" is a precise anatomical term.

Related Phrases

• Traveling wave on the basilar membrane: The pattern of vibration that moves from the base to the apex of the cochlea.
  • The traveling wave on the basilar membrane peaks at a location determined by the sound's frequency.

Related Idioms

• None. This is a technical, scientific term and is not used idiomatically.

Noun

1. a membrane in the cochlea that supports the organ of Corti