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.
Inner Hair Cells (IHCs): overview. Inner hair cells (IHCs), the sensory cells of the cochlea, are responsible for signal transduction. Lying in a single row along the internal side of the tunnel of Corti, they are connected to type I spiral ganglion neurons (of which the axons represent about 95% of auditory nerve fibres).