Olivocochlear reflex effect on human distortion product otoacoustic emissions is largest at frequencies with distinct fine structure dips

Medial Olivocochlear Reflex Strength in Ears With Low-to-Moderate Annual Noise Exposure

PURPOSE

Studies in lower mammals demonstrate enhancement of the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) following noise exposure. A similar effect may occur in humans, and there is some evidence of an individual's acoustic history affecting the MOCR. The current work evaluates the relationship between an individual's annual noise exposure history and their MOCR strength. Given the potential role of the MOCR as a biological hearing protector, it is important to identify factors associated with MOCR strength.

METHOD

Data were collected from 98 normal-hearing young adults. Annual noise exposure history was estimated using the Noise Exposure Questionnaire. MOCR strength was assayed using click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) measured with and without noise presented to the contralateral ear. MOCR metrics included the MOCR-induced otoacoustic emission (OAE) magnitude shift and phase shift. A CEOAE signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of at least 12 dB was required for estimation of the MOCR metrics. Linear regression was applied to evaluate the relationship between MOCR metrics and annual noise exposure.

RESULTS

Annual noise exposure was not a statistically significant predictor of the MOCR-induced CEOAE magnitude shift. However, annual noise exposure was a statistically significant predictor of the MOCR-induced CEOAE phase shift-the MOCR-induced phase shift decreased with increasing noise exposure. Additionally, annual noise exposure was a statistically significant predictor of OAE level.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings contrast with recent work that suggests MOCR strength increases with annual noise exposure. Compared with previous work, data for this study were collected using more stringent SNR criteria, which is expected to increase the precision of the MOCR metrics. Additionally, data were collected for a larger subject population with a wider range of noise exposures. Whether findings generalize to other exposure durations and levels is unknown and requires future study.

Olivocochlear efferent effects on perception and behavior

The role of the mammalian auditory olivocochlear efferent system in hearing has long been the subject of debate. Its ability to protect against damaging noise exposure is clear, but whether or not this is the primary function of a system that evolved in the absence of industrial noise remains controversial. Here we review the behavioral consequences of olivocochlear activation and diminished olivocochlear function. Attempts to demonstrate a role for hearing in noise have yielded conflicting results in both animal and human studies. A role in selective attention to sounds in the presence of distractors, or attention to visual stimuli in the presence of competing auditory stimuli, has been established in animal models, but again behavioral studies in humans remain equivocal. Auditory processing deficits occur in models of congenital olivocochlear dysfunction, but these deficits likely reflect abnormal central auditory development rather than direct effects of olivocochlear feedback. Additional proposed roles in age-related hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis, and binaural or spatial hearing, are intriguing, but require additional study. These behavioral studies almost exclusively focus on medial olivocochlear effects, and many relied on lesioning techniques that can have unspecific effects. The consequences of lateral olivocochlear and of corticofugal pathway activation for perception remain unknown. As new tools for targeted manipulation of olivocochlear neurons emerge, there is potential for a transformation of our understanding of the role of the olivocochlear system in behavior across species.

Efferent-induced alterations in distortion and reflection otoacoustic emissions in children

The medial olivocochlear efferent fibers control outer hair cell responses and inhibit the cochlear-amplifier gain. Measuring efferent function is both theoretically and clinically relevant. In humans, medial efferent inhibition can be assayed via otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). OAEs arise by two fundamentally different mechanisms-nonlinear distortion and coherent reflection. Distortion and reflection emissions are typically applied in isolation for studying the efferent inhibition. Such an approach inadvertently assumes that efferent-induced shifts in distortion and reflection emissions provide redundant information. In this study, efferent-induced shifts in distortion and reflection emissions (click-evoked and stimulus frequency OAEs) were measured in the same subjects-5- to 10-yr-old children. Consistent with the OAE generation theory, efferent-induced shifts in distortion and reflection emissions did not correlate, whereas the two reflection emission shifts correlated. This suggests that using either OAE types provides fragmented information on efferent inhibition and highlights the need to use both distortion and reflection emissions for describing efferent effects.

The Effect of Primary Levels and Frequencies on the Contralateral Suppression of Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Changes in distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) caused by contralateral suppression (CS) allow the function of the auditory efferent system to be evaluated. Parameters affording maximum CS are preferred in terms of clinical application. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of primary levels and frequencies on DPOAE-mediated CS.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Sixteen subjects with normal hearing participated. DPOAEs were recorded with and without contralateral acoustic stimulation; we delivered broadband noise of 65 dB SPL at f2 frequencies between 1,000 Hz and 6,727 Hz, at 8 pt/octave. The L2 was varied between 40 dB SPL and 80 dB SPL in 10-dB steps.

RESULTS

L2 did not significantly affect DPOAE-mediated CS. Higher L2 levels significantly reduced the fine structure depth of both the baseline and suppressed DPOAE datasets. The amount of CS was greatly affected by the f2 frequency; lower and higher frequency ranges afforded significantly stronger suppression than did mid-frequencies within the studied range.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that DPOAE CS should be measured over a wide range of frequencies as the amount of CS seems to be highly dependent on f2. The use of a higher L2 level may be optimal when it is sought to evoke strong DPOAE-mediated suppression while simultaneously minimizing DPOAE fine structure. Our findings may assist in optimization of clinical procedures evaluating the integrity of the auditory efferent system.

Efferent modulation of pre-neural and neural distortion products

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and distortion product frequency following responses (DPFFRs) are respectively pre-neural and neural measurements associated with cochlear nonlinearity. Because cochlear nonlinearity is putatively linked to outer hair cell electromotility, DPOAEs and DPFFRs may provide complementary measurements of the human medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex, which directly modulates outer hair cell function. In this study, we first quantified MOC reflex-induced DPOAE inhibition at spectral fine structure peaks in 22 young human adults with normal hearing. The f1 and f2 tone pairs producing the largest DPOAE fine structure peak for each subject were then used to evoke DPFFRs with and without MOC reflex activation to provide a related neural measure of efferent inhibition. We observed significant positive relationships between DPOAE fine structure peak inhibition and inhibition of DPFFR components representing neural phase locking to f2 and 2f1-f2, but not f1. These findings may support previous observations that the MOC reflex inhibits DPOAE sources differentially. That these effects are maintained and represented in the auditory brainstem suggests that the MOC reflex may exert a potent influence on subsequent subcortical neural representation of sound.

Functional Significance of Medial Olivocochlear System Morphology in the Mouse Cochlea

Objectives

Baso-apical gradients exist in various cochlear structures including medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system. This study investigated the cochlear regional differentials in the function and morphology of the MOC system, and addressed the functional implications of regional MOC efferent terminals (ETs) in the mouse cochlea.

Methods

In CBA/J mice, MOC reflex (MOCR) was assessed based on the distortion product otoacoustic emission in the absence and presence of contralateral acoustic stimulation. High, middle, and low frequencies were grouped according to a mouse place-frequency map. Cochlear whole mounts were immunostained for ETs with anti-α-synuclein and examined using confocal laser scanning microscopy. The diameters of ETs and the number of ETs per outer hair cell were measured from the z-stack images of the basal, middle and apical regions, respectively.

Results

The middle cochlear region expressed large, clustered MOC ETs with strong MOCR, the base expressed small, less clustered ETs with strong MOCR, and the apex expressed large, but less clustered ETs with weak MOCR.

Conclusion

The mouse cochlea demonstrated regional differentials in the function and morphology of the MOC system. Strong MOCR along with superior MOC morphology in the middle region may contribute to ‘signal detection in noise,’ the primary efferent function, in the best hearing frequencies. Strong MOCR in spite of inferior MOC morphology in the base may reflect the importance of ‘protection from noise trauma’ in the high frequencies.

Corticofugal Modulation of DPOAEs in Gerbils

Efferent auditory feedback on cochlear hair cells is well studied regarding olivocochlear brainstem mechanisms. Less is known about how the descending corticofugal system may shape efferent feedback and modulate cochlear mechanics. Distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are a suitable tool to assess outer hair cell function, as they are by-products of the nonlinear cochlear amplification process. The present project investigates the effects of cortical activity on cubic and quadratic DPOAEs in mongolian gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus, through cortical deactivation using the sodium-channel blocker lidocaine. Contralateral cortical microinjections of lidocaine can lead to either an increase or decrease of median DPOAE levels of up to 10.95 dB. The effects are reversible and comparable at all tested frequencies (0.5-40 kHz). They are not restricted to the preferred frequency of the cortical site of injection. Recovery times are between 20 and 120 min depending on stimulation levels and emission type. When the injection is performed in the ipsilateral hemisphere, DPOAE level shifts are lower in amplitude compared to those after injection in the contralateral hemisphere. No significant changes in DPOAE levels are obtained after saline microinjections. Results indicate that deactivation of auditory cortex activity through lidocaine has a considerable impact on peripheral auditory responses in form of DPOAEs, probably through cortico-olivocochlear pathways.

The medial olivocochlear reflex in children during active listening

OBJECTIVE

To determine if active listening modulates the strength of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex in children.

DESIGN

Click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) were recorded from the right ear in quiet and in four test conditions: one with contralateral broadband noise (BBN) only, and three with active listening tasks wherein attention was directed to speech embedded in contralateral BBN.

STUDY SAMPLE

Fifteen typically-developing children (ranging in age from 8 to14 years) with normal hearing.

RESULTS

CEOAE levels were reduced in every condition with contralateral acoustic stimulus (CAS) when compared to preceding quiet conditions. There was an additional systematic decrease in CEOAE level with increased listening task difficulty, although this effect was very small. These CEOAE level differences were most apparent in the 8-18 ms region after click onset.

CONCLUSIONS

Active listening may change the strength of the MOC reflex in children, although the effects reported here are very subtle. Further studies are needed to verify that task difficulty modulates the activity of the MOC reflex in children.

Stability of the medial olivocochlear reflex as measured by distortion product otoacoustic emissions

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess the repeatability of a fine-resolution, distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE)-based assay of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex in normal-hearing adults.

METHOD

Data were collected during 36 test sessions from 4 normal-hearing adults to assess short-term stability and 5 normal-hearing adults to assess long-term stability. DPOAE level and phase measurements were recorded with and without contralateral acoustic stimulation. MOC reflex indices were computed by (a) noting contralateral acoustic stimulation-induced changes in DPOAE level (both absolute and normalized) at fine-structure peaks, (b) recording the effect as a vector difference, and (c) separating DPOAE components and considering a component-specific metric.

RESULTS

Analyses indicated good repeatability of all indices of the MOC reflex in most frequency ranges. Short- and long-term repeatability were generally comparable. Indices normalized to a subject's own baseline fared best, showing strong short- and long-term stability across all frequency intervals.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that fine-resolution DPOAE-based measures of the MOC reflex measured at strategic frequencies are stable, and natural variance from day-to-day or week-to-week durations is small enough to detect between-group differences and possibly to monitor intervention-related success. However, this is an empirical question that must be directly tested to confirm its utility.

Otoacoustic-emission-based medial-olivocochlear reflex assays for humans

Otoacoustic emission (OAE) tests of the medial-olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) in humans were assessed for viability as clinical assays. Two reflection-source OAEs [TEOAEs: transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions evoked by a 47 dB sound pressure level (SPL) chirp; and discrete-tone SFOAEs: stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emissions evoked by 40 dB SPL tones, and assessed with a 60 dB SPL suppressor] were compared in 27 normal-hearing adults. The MOCR elicitor was a 60 dB SPL contralateral broadband noise. An estimate of MOCR strength, MOCR%, was defined as the vector difference between OAEs measured with and without the elicitor, normalized by OAE magnitude (without elicitor). An MOCR was reliably detected in most ears. Within subjects, MOCR strength was correlated across frequency bands and across OAE type. The ratio of across-subject variability to within-subject variability ranged from 2 to 15, with wideband TEOAEs and averaged SFOAEs giving the highest ratios. MOCR strength in individual ears was reliably classified into low, normal, and high groups. SFOAEs using 1.5 to 2 kHz tones and TEOAEs in the 0.5 to 2.5 kHz band gave the best statistical results. TEOAEs had more clinical advantages. Both assays could be made faster for clinical applications, such as screening for individual susceptibility to acoustic trauma in a hearing-conservation program.

Assessment of the noise-protective action of the olivocochlear efferents in humans

It has been demonstrated in different mammals that the medial olivocochlear efferents (MOC) exert a noise-protective effect on the cochlea. In humans such an effect has not unambiguously been shown as of yet. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between MOC activity and susceptibility of the cochlea to noise-induced hearing loss in humans. In 40 normally hearing human subjects, we measured the following: (1) magnitude of temporary threshold shift (TTS) after exposure to 60 min broadband noise of 94 dB SPL and (2) contralateral suppression (CS) of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (which reflects MOC activity) using two different measurement paradigms. CS was measured in duplicate on 2 measurement days. The relationship between TTS and CS was assessed. Individual TTS in the most affected frequencies (4 > 3 > 8 kHz) ranged from 9 to 28 dB HL, with an average maximum TTS of 18.4 dB HL. The amount of CS ranged between 0.3 and 3 dB. The repeatability of CS, evaluated by Cronbach's α value, ranged from 0.76 (acceptable repeatability) to 0.86 (good repeatability). One of the two different measurement paradigms showed a statistically significant inverse correlation between CS magnitude and amount of TTS, which was hypothesized. This is the first study on the relationship between TTS and CS in humans employing TTS induced under controlled laboratory conditions and two different MOC paradigms. The findings are compatible with the hypothesis that MOC activity is noise protective in humans. Future perspectives include modified CS paradigms, longitudinal cohort studies or efforts to also monitor lateral efferent effects in humans.

Test/retest repeatability of effect contralateral acoustic stimulation on the magnitudes of distortion product ototacoustic emissions

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Contralateral inhibition of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) has become an important tool to assess the functioning of the medial olivocochlear efferents in humans. However, before this measurement can be applied clinically, the test/retest repeatability needs to be established. Therefore, the current study aimed at evaluating intra- and intersession test/retest repeatability of contralateral inhibition of DPOAE at 2f(1) -f(2) .

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective Test/Retest Reliability Study.

METHODS

Contralateral inhibition of DPOAE magnitudes were measured in the right ear of 24 adult male participants. To assess the intrasession repeatability, measurements were repeated without altering the position of the DPOAE probe (single-probe-fit). To assess intersession reliability, measurements were repeated on 8 different days (multiple-probe-fit). Repeatability of inhibition of DPOAE magnitudes was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha, interclass correlations, standard error of measurement, and its 95% confidence interval and smallest detectable difference.

RESULTS

DPOAE magnitudes were highly stable and repeatable across different recording sessions. However, test/retest reliability coefficients of DPOAE inhibition magnitudes were less than satisfactory for all the frequencies, in both single-probe-fit and multiple-probe-fit modes.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of the present study showed that contralateral inhibition magnitudes of DPOAEs varied considerably, even though DPOAEs magnitudes remained essentially the same across different recording sessions. As reliability is an essential aspect of any clinical procedure, it is suggested that at present contralateral inhibition of DPOAEs should not be used clinically to evaluate the medial efferent system. Laryngoscope, 2012.

Measurement of medial olivocochlear efferent activity in humans: comparison of different distortion product otoacoustic emission-based paradigms

OBJECTIVE

To assess the suitability of contralateral suppression (CS) of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) for measurement of activity of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents.

BACKGROUND

The MOC efferent system has been shown to be involved in sound discrimination, selective attention to tones, sound localization, and protection of the cochlea against noise. A great variety of paradigms for measurement of MOC activity by CS of OAE (MOC reflex [MOCR]), has been described. An issue of this approach is the dependence of the CS values on stimulus parameters, especially when DPOAE are used.

METHODS

Four different measurement paradigms, which used different combinations of stimulus frequencies and primary tone levels, were applied in 16 human subjects.

RESULTS

Mean absolute values of CS were in the range of 1.2 to 2.6 dB. The use of different stimulus parameters produced not only MOCR values of different size-which was expected-but, in many cases, also different relative classifications of the subjects according to their MOCR strength.

CONCLUSION

The suppression effects on DPOAE demonstrated in this study reflect MOC activity. However, the new conclusion from our data is that CS of DPOAE measurements, as they were used in this study, may not allow for a consistent quantitative classification of human subjects according to their MOCR strength. This finding concerns interpretation of previous studies using CS of DPOAE and analogous future studies. One future approach may lie in the separation of the DPOAE components to distinguish interference phenomena, which complicate interpretation of CS values.

Sound-evoked olivocochlear activation in unanesthetized mice

Genetic tools available for the mouse make it a powerful model to study the modulation of cochlear function by descending control systems. Suppression of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) amplitude by contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) provides a robust tool for noninvasively monitoring the strength of descending modulation, yet investigations in mice have been performed infrequently and only under anesthesia, a condition likely to reduce olivocochlear activation. Here, we characterize the contralateral olivocochlear reflex in the alert, unanesthetized mouse. Head-fixed mice were restrained between two closed acoustic systems, while an artifact rejection protocol minimized contamination from self-generated sounds and movements. In mice anesthetized with pentobarbital, ketamine or urethane, CAS at 80 dB SPL evoked, on average, a <1-dB change in DPOAE amplitude. In contrast, the mean CAS-induced DPOAE suppression in unanesthetized mice was nearly 8 dB. Experiments in mice with targeted deletion of the α9 subunit of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor confirmed the contribution of the medial olivocochlear efferents to this phenomenon. These findings demonstrate the utility of the CAS assay in the unanesthetized mouse and highlight the adverse effects of anesthesia when probing the functional status of descending control pathways within the auditory system.

Changes in amplitude and phase of distortion-product otoacoustic emission fine-structure and separated components during efferent activation

Medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent fibers synapse directly on the outer hair cells (OHCs). Efferent activation evoked by contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) will affect OHC amplification and subsequent measures of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). The aim of this study was to investigate measures of total and separated DPOAEs during efferent activation. Efferent activation produces both suppression and enhancement of the total DPOAE level. Level enhancements occurred near fine-structure minima and were associated with consistent MOC evoked upward shifts in DPOAE fine-structure frequency. Examination of the phase of the separated components revealed that frequency shifts stemmed from increasing phase leads of the reflection component during CAS, while the generator component phase was nearly invariant. Separation of the two DPOAE components responsible for the fine-structure revealed more consistent reduction of the levels of both components. Using vector subtraction (which takes into account both level and phase) to estimate the changes in the unseparated DPOAE provided consistent evidence of DPOAE suppression. Including phase information provided a more sensitive, valid and consistent estimate of CAS function even if one does not know the position of the DPOAE in the fine-structure.

Impact of three hours of discotheque music on pure-tone thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emissions

The aim of this study was to investigate whether distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are a suitable means for detecting changes in outer hair cell (OHC) functionality due to exposure to three hours of discotheque music and whether efferent reflex strength of the medial olivocochlear bundle is able to predict the ear's susceptibility to high-level noise. High-resolution DPOAEs (Δf(2)=47 Hz) were recorded between 3.5 and 4.5 kHz at close-to-threshold primary tone levels. For comparison, high-resolution pure-tone audiometry was conducted in the same frequency range. Efferent reflex strength was measured by means of DPOAEs at a specific frequency with and without contralateral acoustic stimulation. A significant deterioration of more than 10 dB was found for pure-tone thresholds and DPOAE levels indicating that three hours of high-level noise exert a considerable influence on hearing capability and OHC functionality. A significant correlation between shifts in pure-tone threshold and shifts in DPOAE level occurred when removing data with differing calibration across measurements. There was no clear correlation between efferent reflex strength and shifts in pure-tone threshold or shifts in DPOAE level suggesting that the applied measures of efferent reflex strength may not be suitable for quantifying individual vulnerability to noise.

Contralateral acoustic stimulation alters the magnitude and phase of distortion product otoacoustic emissions

Activation of medial olivocochlear efferents through contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) has been shown to modulate distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) level in various ways (enhancement, reduction, or no change). The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of a range of CAS levels on DPOAE fine structure. The 2f(1)-f(2) DPOAE was recorded (f(2)/f(1)=1.22, L(1)=55 dB, and L(2)=40 dB) from eight normal-hearing subjects, using both a frequency-sweep paradigm and a fixed frequency paradigm. Contamination due to the middle ear muscle reflex was avoided by monitoring the magnitude and phase of a probe in the test ear and by monitoring DPOAE stimulus levels throughout testing. Results show modulations in both level and frequency of DPOAE fine structure patterns. Frequency shifts observed at DPOAE level minima could explain reports of enhancement in DPOAE level due to efferent activation. CAS affected the magnitude and phase of the DPOAE component from the characteristic frequency region to a greater extent than the component from the overlap region between the stimulus tones. This differential effect explains the occasional enhancement observed in DPOAE level as well as the frequency shift in fine structure patterns.

Considering distortion product otoacoustic emission fine structure in measurements of the medial olivocochlear reflex

In humans, when the medial olivocochlear (MOC) pathway is activated by noise in the opposite ear, changes in distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) level, i.e., the MOC reflex, can be recorded in the test ear. Recent evidence suggests that DPOAE frequency influences the direction (suppression/enhancement) of the reflex. In this study, DPOAEs were recorded at fine frequency intervals from 500 to 2500 Hz, with and without contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) in a group of 15 adults. The MOC reflex was calculated only at DPOAE frequencies corresponding to peaks in the fine structure. Additionally, inverse fast-Fourier transform was conducted to evaluate MOC effects on individual DPOAE components. Results show the following: (1) When considering peaks only, the mean MOC reflex was -2.05 dB and 97% of observations reflected suppression, (2) CAS reduced distortion characteristic frequency component levels more than overlap component levels, and (3) CAS produced an upward shift in fine structure peak frequency. Results indicate that when the MOC reflex is recorded at DPOAE frequencies corresponding to fine structure maxima (i.e., when DPOAE components are constructive and in phase), suppression is reliably observed and level enhancement, which probably reflects component mixing in the ear canal rather than strength of the MOC reflex, is eliminated.

Distortion product otoacoustic emission contralateral suppression functions obtained with ramped stimuli

The purpose of this research was to investigate the changes that occur in human distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) level functions over continuous frequency bands in response to activation of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system by contralateral broadband noise. DPOAEs were obtained using continuous upward ramps of the lower frequency tone (f(1)) while the higher frequency tone (f(2)) was fixed. These ramps were designed to change the stimulus frequency ratio f(2)/f(1) over a fixed range for each fixed f(2) value of 2, 3, and 4 kHz. Contralateral noise was presented on alternating ramps and the DPOAEs with and without contralateral noise were averaged separately. Stimulus frequency ratios of 1.10 and 1.22, and noise levels of 60 and 50 dB sound pressure level (SPL) were employed. Changes in DPOAE level were generally suppression (a reduction in DPOAE magnitude), but enhancement was also observed. For most participants, changes were evident for much of the frequency ranges tested. Average absolute changes for 60 dB SPL noise were 0.95, 0.81, and 0.42 dB for the wider stimulus frequency ratios and f(2) of 2, 3, and 4 kHz, respectively. For the narrower ratio and 60 dB SPL noise, the changes were larger with average absolute changes of 1.33, 1.09, and 0.87 dB. For the narrower ratio and 50 dB SPL noise, the changes were 1.08, 0.78, and 0.55 dB with f(2) of 2, 3, and 4 kHz, respectively. DPOAE nulls were observed and a common response pattern was a shift of emission morphology to higher frequencies with contralateral acoustic stimulation. The method appears promising for relatively rapid evaluation of the MOC efferent system in humans and offers information complementary to measurement strategies that explore the effects of stimulus level.

Impact of occupational noise on pure-tone threshold and distortion product otoacoustic emissions after one workday

The aim of this study was to investigate whether distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are a suitable means for detecting small changes in cochlear amplifier functionality due to occupational noise exposure of one workday and whether efferent reflex strength of the medial olivocochlear bundle is able to predict the ear's susceptibility to noise. High-resolution (Deltaf(2)= 47 Hz) DPOAEs were recorded between 3.5 and 4.5 kHz at close-to-threshold primary tone levels. For comparison, pure-tone audiometry was conducted. Efferent reflex strength was measured by means of DPOAEs at a specific frequency with and without contralateral acoustic stimulation. A statistically significant change was found for pure-tone thresholds (DeltaL(ht)=+1.6+/-3.0 dB, n=155) and DPOAE levels (DeltaL(dp)=-1.0+/-2.4 dB, n=646; L(2)=20 dB SPL) in factory workers but not in office workers (DeltaL(ht)=-1.3+/-3.3 dB, n=80; DeltaL(dp)=0.0+/-1.6 dB, n=336) (control group). However, the influence of systematic biases due to, e.g. ear probe calibration or measurement sequence effects, has to be considered. Moreover, there was no significant correlation between efferent reflex strength and shifts in pure-tone thresholds or shifts in DPOAE levels. Thus, the applied measures of efferent reflex strength do not seem to be suitable for predicting temporary changes in hearing capability.

Sources of variability in distortion product otoacoustic emissions

The goal of this study was to determine the extent to which the variability seen in distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), among ears with normal hearing, could be accounted for. Several factors were selected for investigation, including behavioral threshold, differences in middle-ear transmission characteristics either in the forward or the reverse direction, and differences in contributions from the distortion and reflection sources. These variables were assessed after optimizing stimulus parameters for individual ears at each frequency. A multiple-linear regression was performed to identify whether the selected variables, either individually or in combination, explained significant portions of variability in DPOAE responses. Behavioral threshold at the f(2) frequency and behavioral threshold squared at that same frequency explained the largest amount of variability in DPOAE level, compared to the other variables. The combined model explained a small, but significant, amount of variance in DPOAE level at five frequencies. A large amount of residual variability remained, even at frequencies where the model accounted for significant amounts of variance.

Distortion product otoacoustic emission fine structure is responsible for variability of distortion product otoacoustic emission contralateral suppression

Alteration of the distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) level by a contralateral sound, which is known as DPOAE contralateral suppression, has been attributed to the feedback mechanism of the medial olivocochlear efferents. However, the limited dynamic range and large intra- and intersubject variabilities in the outcome of the measurement restrict its application in assessing the efferent function. In this study, the 2f(1)-f(2) DPgram was measured with a high frequency resolution in six human ears, which exhibits a fine structure with the quasiperiodic appearance of peaks and dips. In the presence of contralateral noise, the DPOAE level increased, decreased, or remained unchanged depending on the frequency. At the peaks, DPOAEs were mostly suppressed with a larger change, while those at the dips had greater variance, with increased occurrence of enhancement or no change. The difference between the peak and dip frequencies in the DPOAE-level change was significant. A switch from suppression to enhancement of the DPOAE level or vice versa with a small change in frequency was noted. These results imply that the DPOAE fine structure is a main source of the variability in DPOAE contralateral suppression measurement. The study suggests that the DPOAE contralateral suppression test would be improved if it is conducted for frequencies at major peaks of the DPOAE fine structure.

Speech-in-noise intelligibility does not correlate with efferent olivocochlear reflex in humans with normal hearing

CONCLUSION

According to the presented data, speech-in-noise intelligibility (SI) does not correlate with olivocochlear efferent activity - as measured by contralateral suppression (CS) of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) in humans with normal auditory threshold.

OBJECTIVES

Literature data indicate a possible role of the medial olivocochlear efferents in speech intelligibility, especially in background noise. The objective of this study was to investigate this relationship.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

SI was evaluated in three independent sessions by determining the ratio speech level/noise level, at which 50% of the words are understood (i.e. speech reception threshold, SRT). Efferent activity was inferred measuring CS of DPOAE, using two different paradigms with extensive variation of stimulus parameters and duplicate measurements.

RESULTS

For optimum measurement of CS, the study was restricted to subjects (n =49) with valid DPOAE down to primary tone levels L1=47/L2 =20 dB SPL. Average SRT was -6.66 dB (-4.50 to -7.65 dB, SD 0.63 dB). CS increased with decreasing primary tone levels, with mean absolute CS values in the range of 0.6-6 dB SPL. Test-retest repeatability was good. Statistical evaluation revealed no significant relationship between SI and CS of DPOAE.

Measurement of the distribution of medial olivocochlear acoustic reflex strengths across normal-hearing individuals via otoacoustic emissions

A clinical test for the strength of the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) might be valuable as a predictor of individuals at risk for acoustic trauma or for explaining why some people have trouble understanding speech in noise. A first step in developing a clinical test for MOCR strength is to determine the range and variation of MOCR strength in a research setting. A measure of MOCR strength near 1 kHz was made across a normal-hearing population (N = 25) by monitoring stimulus-frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAEs) while activating the MOCR with 60 dB SPL wideband contralateral noise. Statistically significant MOCR effects were measured in all 25 subjects; but not all SFOAE frequencies tested produced significant effects within the time allotted. To get a metric of MOCR strength, MOCR-induced changes in SFOAEs were normalized by the SFOAE amplitude obtained by two-tone suppression. We found this "normalized MOCR effect" varied across frequency and time within the same subject, sometimes with significant differences between measurements made as little as 40 Hz apart or as little as a few minutes apart. Averaging several single-frequency measures spanning 200 Hz in each subject reduced the frequency- and time-dependent variations enough to produce correlated measures indicative of the true MOCR strength near 1 kHz for each subject. The distribution of MOCR strengths, in terms of SFOAE suppression near 1 kHz, across our normal-hearing subject pool was reasonably approximated by a normal distribution with mean suppression of approximately 35% and standard deviation of approximately 12%. The range of MOCR strengths spanned a factor of 4, suggesting that whatever function the MOCR plays in hearing (e.g., enhancing signal detection in noise, reducing acoustic trauma), different people will have corresponding differences in their abilities to perform that function.