Intensity discrimination, temporal integration and gap detection by normally-hearing subjects with weak and strong otoacoustic emissions.
It is unlikely that the overall status of a cochlea and middle ear which produces strong otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), i.e. high-level evoked emissions (EOAEs) and spontaneous emissions (SOAEs), has a generalized effect on peripheral auditory processing if the sensitivity is normal. Current data do not support the hypothesis that a weak OAE profile (low-level EOAEs and no SOAEs) is indicative of subclinical damage to the cochlea. Nevertheless, the ability of a subject to perform some psychoacoustical tasks may be influenced by the interaction between OAEs and test signals. The present experiments investigated the influence of strong or weak OAEs on: (1) intensity just-noticeable differences for pure tones; (2) temporal integration in the vicinity of SOAEs; (3) gap detection thresholds for broad-band noise bursts. The results show that OAEs can influence performance on these psychoacoustical tasks, especially for low-level stimuli with spectral components in the vicinity of high-level SOAEs.
Smurzynski
J
J
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
Probst
R
R
D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D004056:Differential Threshold; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D013997:Time Factors