Acute effects of alcohol on auditory thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emissions in humans.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the acute effects of alcohol consumption on pure-tone thresholds (PTs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in humans


METHODS
Eight healthy adults were asked to drink alcohol to the clinical intoxication level. PTs and DPOAEs were determined serially before and after alcohol ingestion.


RESULTS
Alcohol had no effect on PTs DPOAE amplitudes above 5500 Hz dropped 30 min and 1 h after alcohol ingestion, returning to the pre-test level 2 h after ingestion.


CONCLUSIONS
In humans, acute alcohol consumption to the intoxication level may cause a temporary reduction in DPOAE amplitudes at high frequencies without affecting auditory thresholds.
Hwang
Juen-Haur
JH
Departments of Otolaryngology, Poh-Ai Hospital, I-Lan, Taiwan.
Tan
Ching-Ting
CT
Chiang
Ching-Wen
CW
Liu
Tien-Chen
TC
D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018072:Hair Cells, Auditory, Outer / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000187:drug effects*; D010469:Perceptual Distortion / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol