title: Stimulus characteristics which lessen the impact of threshold fine structure on estimates of hearing status.
abstract: When hearing thresholds are measured with high-frequency resolution there is a pseudo-periodic variation in thresholds across frequency of up to 15-20dB. This variation is called threshold fine structure (previously referred to as threshold microstructure). Consequently, estimates of auditory status based on threshold measures can depend greatly on the specific frequency evaluated. The impact of threshold fine structure on the prediction of auditory status was examined by measuring detection thresholds of pure tones (providing an indication of threshold fine structure) and comparing them with thresholds obtained using linear sweeps, sinusoidally frequency modulated tones, and narrow-band noise. Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) were also obtained to confirm the established relationship between threshold fine structure and SOAEs. Thresholds obtained using linear sweeps and narrow-band noise provided stable threshold estimates indicating that such threshold estimates were less influenced by threshold fine structure. Consequently, thresholds obtained with these stimuli may provide estimates of cochlear status less dependent of the exact frequency being evaluated, permitting better prediction of performance on other psychoacoustic measures (such as cochlear tuning and loudness perception) and the properties of their more objective measures (such as otoacoustic emissions).
authors.affiliation: Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2-256 Frances Searle, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. jmlee6@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Jungmee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Glenis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011571:Psychoacoustics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017603:Signal Detection, Psychological; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult