The influence of muscles activation on the dynamical behaviour of the tympano-ossicular system of the middle ear

The human ear is a complex biomechanical system and is divided into three parts: outer, middle and inner ear. The middle ear is formed by ossicles (malleus, incus and stapes), ligaments, muscles and tendons, which transfers sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear, linking with mastoid and Eustachian tube. In this work, a finite element modelling of the tympano-ossicular system of the middle ear was developed. A dynamic study based on a structural response to harmonic vibrations, for a sound pressure level (SPL) of 110, 120 and 130 dB SPL applied in the eardrum, is presented. The connection between the ossicles is made using a contact formulation. The model includes the different ligaments considering its hyperelastic behaviour. The activation of the muscles is based on the constitutive model proposed by previous work. The harmonic responses of displacement and pressure obtained on the stapes footplate, for a frequency range between 100 Hz and 10 kHz, are obtained simulating the muscle activation. The results are compared considering the passive and active states. The results are discussed and they are in accordance with audiological data published with reference to the effects of the middle ear muscles contraction.

[1]  Jack Katz editor-in-chief.  Handbook of clinical audiology , 2015 .

[2]  A. Peirce.  Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering , 2010 .

[3]  R. P. Mccall.  Physics of the human body , 2010 .

[4]  R M Natal Jorge,et al.  The influence of the material properties on the biomechanical behavior of the pelvic floor muscles during vaginal delivery. , 2009, Journal of biomechanics.

[5]  J. Paço,et al.  The posterosuperior quadrant of the tympanic membrane , 2009, Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

[6]  A. Ibrahimbegovic.  Nonlinear Solid Mechanics , 2009 .

[7]  Irving P. Herman,et al.  Physics of the Human Body , 2008 .

[8]  Maria Fernanda Gentil Costa.  Estudo biomecânico do ouvido médio , 2008 .

[9]  Tao Cheng,et al.  Finite-element analysis of middle-ear pressure effects on static and dynamic behavior of human ear. , 2007, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[10]  António J. Ferreira,et al.  Estudo do afeito do atrito no contacto entre os ossículos do ouvido médio , 2007 .

[11]  R. M. Natal Jorge,et al.  A Comparative Study of Several Material Models for Prediction of Hyperelastic Properties: Application to Silicone‐Rubber and Soft Tissues , 2006 .

[12]  Pedro Martins,et al.  Biomechanical simulation of middle ear using hyperelastic models , 2006 .

[13]  A. A. Nikooyan,et al.  A mechanical model to determine the influence of masses and mass distribution on the impact force during running--a discussion. , 2006, Journal of biomechanics.

[14]  T Mascarenhas,et al.  A shell finite element model of the pelvic floor muscles , 2005, Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering.

[15]  Q. Sun,et al.  Three-Dimensional Finite Element Modeling of Human Ear for Sound Transmission , 2004, Annals of Biomedical Engineering.

[16]  J. Isaacson,et al.  Differential diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss. , 2003, American family physician.

[17]  Q Sun,et al.  Computer-integrated finite element modeling of human middle ear , 2002, Biomechanics and modeling in mechanobiology.

[18]  Hiroshi Wada,et al.  Modeling of the human middle ear using the finite-element method. , 2002, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[19]  B. Benjamin,et al.  Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery , 2003, Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.

[20]  Patrick J. Prendergast,et al.  Vibro-Acoustic Modelling of the Outer and Middle Ear Using the Finite-Element Method , 1999, Audiology and Neurotology.

[21]  J. A. C. Martins,et al.  A numerical model of passive and active behavior of skeletal muscles , 1998 .

[22]  O. H. Yeoh,et al.  Characterization of Elastic Properties of Carbon-Black-Filled Rubber Vulcanizates , 1990 .

[23]  F. Zajac.  Muscle and tendon: properties, models, scaling, and application to biomechanics and motor control. , 1989, Critical reviews in biomedical engineering.

[24]  J. Humphrey,et al.  On constitutive relations and finite deformations of passive cardiac tissue: I. A pseudostrain-energy function. , 1987, Journal of biomechanical engineering.

[25]  B A Stach,et al.  The Acoustic Reflex in Diagnostic Audiology: From Metz to Present , 1987, Ear and hearing.

[26]  Y. Fung,et al.  Biomechanics: Mechanical Properties of Living Tissues , 1981 .

[27]  L. Humes.  The effects of middle ear muscle contraction on auditory and overload thresholds. , 1978, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[28]  W. Zemlin.  Speech and Hearing Science : Anatomy and Physiology , 1968 .

[29]  J. Laidlaw,et al.  ANATOMY OF THE HUMAN BODY , 1967, The Ulster Medical Journal.

[30]  A. Hill.  The heat of shortening and the dynamic constants of muscle , 1938 .