光刺激耳蜗听神经的机理仿真
Simulation of the optical stimulation mechanism of cochlear nerves

近年来以脉冲激光诱发听神经响应的研究逐步深入，然而目前国内外对于光刺激听神经的机理研究尚未有定论。该文利用仿真软件COMSOL Multiphysics研究了三维模型脉冲激光刺激耳蜗产生的光热现象和光声现象，同时结合活体豚鼠实验结果分析了光刺激听神经的机理。结果显示：仿真中光刺激听神经产生了温升，也引发了光声效应；活体动物实验中光刺激在药物急性致聋的豚鼠中诱发出复合听神经动作电位。结果分析表明：光刺激耳蜗产生的响应更可能是光声效应和光热效应共同作用的结果。
Abstract：There has been much research in recent years on pulsed laser stimulation to evoke auditory nerve responses. However, the mechanism is not yet fully understood. This paper describes use of the simulation software COMSOL Multiphysics to build a three-dimensional model to study both the photoacoustic and photo-thermal effect induced by the pulsed laser stimulation of the cochlea, combined with in vivo experiments on guinea pigs to analyze the mechanism. The simulations show that pulsed lasers cause a temperature rise, but also trigger a photoacoustic effect with the compound action potentials induced in guinea pigs deafened acutely by drugs. The results demonstrate that the response from optical stimulation is more likely the superposition of photoacoustic and photo-thermal effects.