Otoacoustic Emissions in Relation to Auditory Perception: Beyond the Pure-Tone Audiogram

ABSTRACT

Investigations of the relation of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) and perception of auditory stimuli, other than the pure tones used in routine clinical audiometry, fall into two broad categories: (1) direct comparisons of OAE and perceptual measures that are intended to further our understanding of cochlear mechanisms and (2) explorations of the influence of more versus less active ears, as characterized by their OAEs, on psychoacoustic performance. Although both OAEs and perceptual measures derive, at least in part, from similar peripheral mechanisms, there are differences between them. It is likely that spontaneous OAEs (SOAEs) and/or strong evoked OAEs (EOAEs) influence auditory perception when measures are made at low levels, thus contributing to some of the variability reported in psychoacoustic studies. It is less likely that OAEs influence perception of complex signals or perceptual tasks involving signal levels greater than approximately 30 dB SPL.

KEYWORD

Otoacoustic emissions - auditory processing - psychoacoustics - threshold microstructure - aspirin

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