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: The cochlea is the auditory center of the inner ear, a fluid-filled organ that translates the vibrations of auditory sound into impulses the brain can understand. This occurs at the organ of Corti, a structure consisting of tiny hairs throughout the cochlea that vibrate and send electrical signals through the nervous system.