Vibration Measurements of the Gerbil Eardrum Under Quasi-static Pressure Steps

Tympanometry is a relatively simple non-invasive test of the status of the middle ear. An important step towards understanding the mechanics of the middle ear during tympanometry is to make vibration measurements on the eardrum under tympanometric pressures. In this study, we measured in vivo vibration responses in 11 gerbils while varying the middle-ear pressure quasi-statically, with the ear canal at ambient pressure. Vibrations were recorded using a single-point laser Doppler vibrometer with five glass-coated reflective beads (diameter ~ 40 μm) as targets. The locations were the umbo, mid-manubrium, posterior pars tensa, anterior pars tensa and pars flaccida. As described in earlier studies, the unpressurized vibration magnitude was flat at low frequencies, increased until a resonance frequency at around 1.8–2.5 kHz, and became complex at higher frequencies. At both the umbo and mid-manubrium points, when the static pressure was decreased to the most negative middle-ear pressure (− 2500 Pa), the low-frequency vibration magnitude (measured at 1.0 kHz) showed a monotonic decrease, except for an unexpected dip at around − 500 to − 1000 Pa. This dip was not present for the pars-tensa and pars-flaccida points. The resonance frequency shifted to higher frequencies, to around 7–8 kHz at − 2500 Pa. For positive middle-ear pressures, the low-frequency vibration magnitude decreased monotonically, with no dip, and the resonance frequency shifted to around 5–6 kHz at + 2500 Pa. There was more inter-specimen variability on the positive-pressure side than on the negative-pressure side. The low-frequency vibration magnitudes on the negative-pressure side were higher for the pars-tensa points than for the umbo and mid-manubrium points, while the magnitudes were similar at all four locations on the positive-pressure side. Most gerbils showed repeatability within less than 10 dB for consecutive cycles. The results of this study provide insight into the mechanics of the gerbil middle ear under tympanometric pressures.