Definition of cocaine. : a bitter crystalline alkaloid C17H21NO4 obtained from coca leaves that is used especially in the form of its hydrochloride medically as a topical anesthetic and illicitly for its euphoric effects and that may result in a compulsive psychological need.
The inner hair cells transform the sound vibrations in the fluids of the cochlea into electrical signals that are then relayed via the auditory nerve to the auditory brainstem and to the auditory cortex.
A study by Rosito et al linked cholesteatoma with sensorineural hearing loss. In an analysis of 115 patients with middle ear cholesteatoma on one side, greater bone-conduction thresholds were found in the affected ear than in the contralateral ear at various frequencies. It was also found that the larger the air-bone gap in the affected ear, the greater the damage to the inner ear.