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Mertes IB. Associations between the medial olivocochlear reflex, middle-ear muscle reflex, and sentence-in-noise recognition using steady and pulsed noise elicitors. Hear Res 2024; 453:109108. [PMID: 39244840 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2024.109108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
The middle-ear muscle reflex (MEMR) and medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) modify peripheral auditory function, which may reduce masking and improve speech-in-noise (SIN) recognition. Previous work and our pilot data suggest that the two reflexes respond differently to static versus dynamic noise elicitors. However, little is known about how the two reflexes work in tandem to contribute to SIN recognition. We hypothesized that SIN recognition would be significantly correlated with the strength of the MEMR and with the strength of the MOCR. Additionally, we hypothesized that SIN recognition would be best when both reflexes were activated. A total of 43 healthy, normal-hearing adults met the inclusion/exclusion criteria (35 females, age range: 19-29 years). MEMR strength was assessed using wideband absorbance. MOCR strength was assessed using transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions. SIN recognition was assessed using a modified version of the QuickSIN. All measurements were made with and without two types of contralateral noise elicitors (steady and pulsed) at two levels (50 and 65 dB SPL). Steady noise was used to primarily elicit the MOCR and pulsed noise was used to elicit both reflexes. Two baseline conditions without a contralateral elicitor were also obtained. Results revealed differences in how the MEMR and MOCR responded to elicitor type and level. Contrary to hypotheses, SIN recognition was not significantly improved in the presence of any contralateral elicitors relative to the baseline conditions. Additionally, there were no significant correlations between MEMR strength and SIN recognition, or between MOCR strength and SIN recognition. MEMR and MOCR strength were significantly correlated for pulsed noise elicitors but not steady noise elicitors. Results suggest no association between SIN recognition and the MEMR or MOCR, at least as measured and analyzed in this study. SIN recognition may have been influenced by factors not accounted for in this study, such as contextual cues, warranting further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian B Mertes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, 901 South Sixth Street, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign 61820 IL, USA.
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Gafoor SA, Uppunda AK. Role of the medial olivocochlear efferent auditory system in speech perception in noise: a systematic review and meta-analyses. Int J Audiol 2024; 63:561-569. [PMID: 37791429 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2023.2260951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study investigated the relationship between the strength of the medial olivocochlear reflex (measured via contralateral inhibition of otoacoustic emissions) and speech perception in noise (obtained from behavioural identification task) through meta-analyses. DESIGN A systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of studies investigating the relationship in neurotypical adults was performed. STUDY SAMPLE The systematic search (in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar databases) revealed 21 eligible studies, which were critically appraised using the NIH tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Meta-analysis was performed on 17 studies (374 participants) with fair to good quality. RESULTS The results revealed that the medial olivocochlear reflex accounts for less than 1% of the variations in speech perception in noise in neurotypical individuals. Sub-group analyses conducted to address a few methodological differences also revealed no discernible association between the two variables. CONCLUSIONS The results reveal no modulatory effect of the medial olivocochlear reflex assessed using contralateral inhibition of otoacoustic emission on the ability to perceive speech in noise. However, more data utilising alternative measures of medial olivocochlear reflex strength is necessary before drawing any conclusions about the role of the medial olivocochlear bundle in speech perception in noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shezeen Abdul Gafoor
- Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India
| | - Ajith Kumar Uppunda
- Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India
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Gafoor SA, Uppunda AK. Speech Perception in Noise and Medial Olivocochlear Reflex: Effects of Age, Speech Stimulus, and Response-Related Variables. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2023; 24:619-631. [PMID: 38079021 PMCID: PMC10752852 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-023-00919-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The role of the medial olivocochlear system in speech perception in noise has been debated over the years, with studies showing mixed results. One possible reason for this could be the dependence of this relationship on the parameters used in assessing the speech perception ability (age, stimulus, and response-related variables). METHODS The current study assessed the influence of the type of speech stimuli (monosyllables, words, and sentences), the signal-to-noise ratio (+5, 0, -5, and -10 dB), the metric used to quantify the speech perception ability (percent-correct, SNR-50, and slope of the psychometric function) and age (young vs old) on the relationship between medial olivocochlear reflex (quantified by contralateral inhibition of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions) and speech perception in noise. RESULTS A linear mixed-effects model revealed no significant contributions of the medial olivocochlear reflex to speech perception in noise. CONCLUSION The results suggest that there was no evidence of any modulatory influence of the indirectly measured medial olivocochlear reflex strength on speech perception in noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shezeen Abdul Gafoor
- Facility for Advanced Auditory Research, Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, India
| | - Ajith Kumar Uppunda
- Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Manasagangothri, Mysuru, India, 570006.
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Sendesen E, Colak H, Korkut Y, Yalcınkaya E, Sennaroglu G. The right ear advantage – a perspective from speech perception in noise test. HEARING, BALANCE AND COMMUNICATION 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/21695717.2023.2181562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eser Sendesen
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hasan Colak
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Audiology, Baskent University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yagız Korkut
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Eda Yalcınkaya
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
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Mertes IB, Stutz AL. Lack of correlation between medial olivocochlear reflex strength and sentence recognition in noise. Int J Audiol 2023; 62:110-117. [PMID: 35195043 DOI: 10.1080/14992027.2022.2033857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex provides unmasking of sounds in noise, but its contribution to speech-in-noise perception remains unclear due to conflicting results. This study determined associations between MOC reflex strength and sentence recognition in noise in individuals with normal hearing. DESIGN MOC reflex strength was assessed using contralateral inhibition of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs). Scores on the AzBio sentence task were quantified at three signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Additionally, slope and threshold of the psychometric function were computed. Associations between MOC reflex strength and speech-in-noise outcomes were assessed using Spearman rank correlations. STUDY SAMPLE Nineteen young adults with normal hearing participated, with data from 17 individuals (mean age = 21.8 years) included in the analysis. RESULTS Contralateral noise significantly decreased the amplitude of TEOAEs. A range of contralateral inhibition values was exhibited across participants. Scores increased significantly with increasing SNR. Contrary to hypotheses, there were no significant correlations between MOC reflex strength and score, nor were there any significant correlations between MOC reflex strength and measures of the psychometric function. CONCLUSIONS Results found no significant monotonic relationship between MOC reflex strength and sentence recognition in noise. Future work is needed to determine the functional role of the MOC reflex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian B Mertes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Abigail L Stutz
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
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Grange J, Zhang M, Culling J. The Role of Efferent Reflexes in the Efficient Encoding of Speech by the Auditory Nerve. J Neurosci 2022; 42:6907-6916. [PMID: 35882559 PMCID: PMC9463981 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2220-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
To avoid information loss, the auditory system must adapt the broad dynamic range of natural sounds to the restricted dynamic range of auditory nerve fibers. How it solves this dynamic range problem is not fully understood. Recent electrophysiological studies showed that dynamic-range adaptation occurs at the auditory nerve level, but the amount of adaptation found was insufficient to prevent information loss. We used the physiological MATLAB Auditory Periphery model to study the contribution of efferent reflexes to dynamic range adaptation. Simulating the healthy human auditory periphery provided adaptation predictions that suggest that the acoustic reflex shifts rate-level functions toward a given context level and the medial olivocochlear reflex sharpens the response of nerve fibers around that context level. A simulator of hearing was created to decode model-predicted firing of the auditory nerve back into an acoustic signal, for use in psychophysical tasks. Speech reception thresholds in noise obtained with a normal-hearing implementation of the simulator were just 1 dB above those measured with unprocessed stimuli. This result validates the simulator for speech stimuli. Disabling efferent reflexes elevated thresholds by 4 dB, reaching thresholds found in mild-to-moderately hearing-impaired individuals. Overall, our studies suggest that efferent reflexes may contribute to overcoming the dynamic range problem. Because specific sensorineural pathologies can be inserted in the model, the simulator can be used to obtain the psychophysical signatures of each pathology, thereby laying a path to differential diagnosis.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The saturation of auditory nerve fibers at moderate sound levels seen in rate-level functions challenges our understanding of how sounds of wide dynamic range are encoded. Our physiologically inspired simulations suggest that efferent reflexes may play a major role in dynamic range adaptation, with the acoustic reflex moving auditory nerve rate-level function toward a given context level and the medial olivocochlear reflex increasing fiber sensitivity around that context level. A psychophysical task using advanced simulations showed how the existence of the efferent system could prevent unrecoverable information loss and severe impairment of speech-in-noise intelligibility. These findings illustrate how important the precise modeling of peripheral compression is to both simulations and the understanding of normal and impaired hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Grange
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom and Audiology Department, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, United Kingdom
| | - Mengchao Zhang
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom and Audiology Department, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, United Kingdom
| | - John Culling
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdom and Audiology Department, School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET, United Kingdom
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Celikgun B, Derinsu U. Standardization of the TEOAE Contralateral Suppression Test in Terms of Stimulus Intensity and Contralateral Noise Duration in Individuals with Normal Hearing. J Am Acad Audiol 2022; 33:29-35. [PMID: 35512841 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1735523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A standard method and parameter study were performed for the contralateral suppression test. PURPOSE Our study aimed to determine the contralateral transient-evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) suppression test method and stimulus-noise parameters that have a standard procedure and will enable the efferent system to be easily evaluated in clinics. RESEARCH DESIGN This study was conducted in two parts with two different groups of participants as a within-subjects design. In the first part, the signal-to-noise ratio at which maximum suppression obtained was investigated with 29 participants. In the second part, the optimal contralateral noise presentation method (in terms of noise-time or noise-sweep) was examined with 21 participants. STUDY SAMPLE In the first part 29 young adults aged between 18 and 32 (23.03 ± 2.84), 20 females and 9 males, and in the second part 21 young adults aged between 19 and 34 years (mean age: 23.71 ± 3.48 years), 16 females and 5 males, participated in the second part. All participants had normal hearing. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS To obtain maximum OAE suppression, different parameters were tested with the Otodynamics ILO292-II OAE device at both parts of the study in a double-walled audiometric test booths. Multirepeated analysis of variance, pairwise comparison, Friedman test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS In the first part, maximum suppression was achieved at 65 dB peSPL (decibel peak-equivalent sound pressure level) TEOAE stimulus and 65 dB SPL broadband noise. In the second part, maximum suppression was obtained in noise-time method with 30 seconds "duration." CONCLUSIONS To provide standardization in clinics, it can be recommended that the contralateral suppression of OAEs was measured at 65 dB peSPL TEOAE stimulus and 65 dB SPL broadband noise in the linear stimulation mode with Otodynamics ILO 292-II double-probe OAE device. To obtain maximum suppression, the noise-time method with 30 seconds duration can be used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahtiyar Celikgun
- Department of Audiology, Institute of Health Sciences, Marmara University, Marmara Üsniversitesi Başıbüyük Sağlık Yerleşkesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü Müdürlüğü, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Ufuk Derinsu
- Department of Odyoloji, Marmara Universitesi Cerrahi Tip Bilimleri, Istanbul, Turkey
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Hernández-Pérez H, Mikiel-Hunter J, McAlpine D, Dhar S, Boothalingam S, Monaghan JJM, McMahon CM. Understanding degraded speech leads to perceptual gating of a brainstem reflex in human listeners. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001439. [PMID: 34669696 PMCID: PMC8559948 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to navigate "cocktail party" situations by focusing on sounds of interest over irrelevant, background sounds is often considered in terms of cortical mechanisms. However, subcortical circuits such as the pathway underlying the medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex modulate the activity of the inner ear itself, supporting the extraction of salient features from auditory scene prior to any cortical processing. To understand the contribution of auditory subcortical nuclei and the cochlea in complex listening tasks, we made physiological recordings along the auditory pathway while listeners engaged in detecting non(sense) words in lists of words. Both naturally spoken and intrinsically noisy, vocoded speech-filtering that mimics processing by a cochlear implant (CI)-significantly activated the MOC reflex, but this was not the case for speech in background noise, which more engaged midbrain and cortical resources. A model of the initial stages of auditory processing reproduced specific effects of each form of speech degradation, providing a rationale for goal-directed gating of the MOC reflex based on enhancing the representation of the energy envelope of the acoustic waveform. Our data reveal the coexistence of 2 strategies in the auditory system that may facilitate speech understanding in situations where the signal is either intrinsically degraded or masked by extrinsic acoustic energy. Whereas intrinsically degraded streams recruit the MOC reflex to improve representation of speech cues peripherally, extrinsically masked streams rely more on higher auditory centres to denoise signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heivet Hernández-Pérez
- Department of Linguistics, The Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jason Mikiel-Hunter
- Department of Linguistics, The Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - David McAlpine
- Department of Linguistics, The Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sumitrajit Dhar
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Sriram Boothalingam
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Jessica J. M. Monaghan
- Department of Linguistics, The Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
- National Acoustic Laboratories, Sydney, Australia
| | - Catherine M. McMahon
- Department of Linguistics, The Australian Hearing Hub, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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9
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Jennings SG. The role of the medial olivocochlear reflex in psychophysical masking and intensity resolution in humans: a review. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:2279-2308. [PMID: 33909513 PMCID: PMC8285664 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00672.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This review addresses the putative role of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex in psychophysical masking and intensity resolution in humans. A framework for interpreting psychophysical results in terms of the expected influence of the MOC reflex is introduced. This framework is used to review the effects of a precursor or contralateral acoustic stimulation on 1) simultaneous masking of brief tones, 2) behavioral estimates of cochlear gain and frequency resolution in forward masking, 3) the buildup and decay of forward masking, and 4) measures of intensity resolution. Support, or lack thereof, for a role of the MOC reflex in psychophysical perception is discussed in terms of studies on estimates of MOC strength from otoacoustic emissions and the effects of resection of the olivocochlear bundle in patients with vestibular neurectomy. Novel, innovative approaches are needed to resolve the dissatisfying conclusion that current results are unable to definitively confirm or refute the role of the MOC reflex in masking and intensity resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skyler G Jennings
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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DeRoy Milvae K, Alexander JM, Strickland EA. The relationship between ipsilateral cochlear gain reduction and speech-in-noise recognition at positive and negative signal-to-noise ratios. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 149:3449. [PMID: 34241110 PMCID: PMC8411890 DOI: 10.1121/10.0003964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Active mechanisms that regulate cochlear gain are hypothesized to influence speech-in-noise perception. However, evidence of a relationship between the amount of cochlear gain reduction and speech-in-noise recognition is mixed. Findings may conflict across studies because different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) were used to evaluate speech-in-noise recognition. Also, there is evidence that ipsilateral elicitation of cochlear gain reduction may be stronger than contralateral elicitation, yet, most studies have investigated the contralateral descending pathway. The hypothesis that the relationship between ipsilateral cochlear gain reduction and speech-in-noise recognition depends on the SNR was tested. A forward masking technique was used to quantify the ipsilateral cochlear gain reduction in 24 young adult listeners with normal hearing. Speech-in-noise recognition was measured with the PRESTO-R sentence test using speech-shaped noise presented at -3, 0, and +3 dB SNR. Interestingly, greater cochlear gain reduction was associated with lower speech-in-noise recognition, and the strength of this correlation increased as the SNR became more adverse. These findings support the hypothesis that the SNR influences the relationship between ipsilateral cochlear gain reduction and speech-in-noise recognition. Future studies investigating the relationship between cochlear gain reduction and speech-in-noise recognition should consider the SNR and both descending pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina DeRoy Milvae
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Joshua M Alexander
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Strickland
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
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11
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Lauer AM, Jimenez SV, Delano PH. Olivocochlear efferent effects on perception and behavior. Hear Res 2021; 419:108207. [PMID: 33674070 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Lauer
- David M. Rubenstein Center for Hearing Research and Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 515 Traylor Building, 720 Rutland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Sergio Vicencio Jimenez
- David M. Rubenstein Center for Hearing Research and Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 515 Traylor Building, 720 Rutland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, BNI, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paul H Delano
- Departments of Otolaryngology and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile; Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, BNI, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Advanced Center for Electrical and Electronic Engineer, AC3E, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile
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12
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Marrufo-Pérez MI, Johannesen PT, Lopez-Poveda EA. Correlation and Reliability of Behavioral and Otoacoustic-Emission Estimates of Contralateral Medial Olivocochlear Reflex Strength in Humans. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:640127. [PMID: 33664649 PMCID: PMC7921326 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.640127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The roles of the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) in human hearing have been widely investigated but remain controversial. We reason that this may be because the effects of MOCR activation on cochlear mechanical responses can be assessed only indirectly in healthy humans, and the different methods used to assess those effects possibly yield different and/or unreliable estimates. One aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between three methods often employed to assess the strength of MOCR activation by contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS). We measured tone detection thresholds (N = 28), click-evoked otoacoustic emission (CEOAE) input/output (I/O) curves (N = 18), and distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) I/O curves (N = 18) for various test frequencies in the presence and the absence of CAS (broadband noise of 60 dB SPL). As expected, CAS worsened tone detection thresholds, suppressed CEOAEs and DPOAEs, and horizontally shifted CEOAE and DPOAE I/O curves to higher levels. However, the CAS effect on tone detection thresholds was not correlated with the horizontal shift of CEOAE or DPOAE I/O curves, and the CAS-induced CEOAE suppression was not correlated with DPOAE suppression. Only the horizontal shifts of CEOAE and DPOAE I/O functions were correlated with each other at 1.5, 2, and 3 kHz. A second aim was to investigate which of the methods is more reliable. The test–retest variability of the CAS effect was high overall but smallest for tone detection thresholds and CEOAEs, suggesting that their use should be prioritized over the use of DPOAEs. Many factors not related with the MOCR, including the limited parametric space studied, the low resolution of the I/O curves, and the reduced numbers of observations due to data exclusion likely contributed to the weak correlations and the large test–retest variability noted. These findings can help us understand the inconsistencies among past studies and improve our understanding of the functional significance of the MOCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam I Marrufo-Pérez
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Peter T Johannesen
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Enrique A Lopez-Poveda
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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13
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Rao A, Koerner TK, Madsen B, Zhang Y. Investigating Influences of Medial Olivocochlear Efferent System on Central Auditory Processing and Listening in Noise: A Behavioral and Event-Related Potential Study. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10070428. [PMID: 32635442 PMCID: PMC7408540 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10070428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This electrophysiological study investigated the role of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents in listening in noise. Both ears of eleven normal-hearing adult participants were tested. The physiological tests consisted of transient-evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) inhibition and the measurement of cortical event-related potentials (ERPs). The mismatch negativity (MMN) and P300 responses were obtained in passive and active listening tasks, respectively. Behavioral responses for the word recognition in noise test were also analyzed. Consistent with previous findings, the TEOAE data showed significant inhibition in the presence of contralateral acoustic stimulation. However, performance in the word recognition in noise test was comparable for the two conditions (i.e., without contralateral stimulation and with contralateral stimulation). Peak latencies and peak amplitudes of MMN and P300 did not show changes with contralateral stimulation. Behavioral performance was also maintained in the P300 task. Together, the results show that the peripheral auditory efferent effects captured via otoacoustic emission (OAE) inhibition might not necessarily be reflected in measures of central cortical processing and behavioral performance. As the MOC effects may not play a role in all listening situations in adults, the functional significance of the cochlear effects of the medial olivocochlear efferents and the optimal conditions conducive to corresponding effects in behavioral and cortical responses remain to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aparna Rao
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (Y.Z.); Tel.: +1-480-727-2761 (A.R.); +1-612-624-7818 (Y.Z.)
| | - Tess K. Koerner
- VA RR & D National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (T.K.K.); (B.M.)
| | - Brandon Madsen
- VA RR & D National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research, Portland, OR 97239, USA; (T.K.K.); (B.M.)
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences & Center for Neurobehavioral Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (Y.Z.); Tel.: +1-480-727-2761 (A.R.); +1-612-624-7818 (Y.Z.)
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14
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Mishra SK. The role of efferents in human auditory development: efferent inhibition predicts frequency discrimination in noise for children. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:2437-2448. [PMID: 32432503 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00136.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The descending corticofugal fibers originate from the auditory cortex and exert control on the periphery via the olivocochlear efferents. Medial efferents are thought to enhance the discriminability of transient sounds in background noise. In addition, the observation of deleterious long-term effects of efferent sectioning on the response properties of auditory nerve fibers in neonatal cats supports an efferent-mediated control of normal development. However, the role of the efferent system in human hearing remains unclear. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the medial efferents are involved in the development of frequency discrimination in noise. The hypothesis was examined with a combined behavioral and physiological approach. Frequency discrimination in noise and efferent inhibition were measured in 5- to 12-yr-old children (n = 127) and young adults (n = 37). Medial efferent strength was noninvasively assayed with a rigorous otoacoustic emission protocol. Results revealed an age-mediated relationship between efferent inhibition and frequency discrimination in noise. Efferent inhibition strongly predicted frequency discrimination in noise for younger children (5-9 yr). However, for older children (>9 yr) and adults, efferent inhibition was not related to frequency discrimination in noise. These findings support the role of efferents in the development of hearing-in-noise in humans; specifically, younger children compared with older children and adults are relatively more dependent on efferent inhibition for extracting relevant cues in noise. Additionally, the present findings caution against postulating an oversimplified relationship between efferent inhibition and measures of auditory perception in humans.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Despite several decades of research, the functional role of medial olivocochlear efferents in humans remains controversial and is thought to be insignificant. Here it is shown that medial efferent inhibition strongly predicts frequency discrimination in noise for younger children but not for older children and adults. Young children are relatively more dependent on the efferent system for listening-in-noise. This study highlights the role of the efferent system in hearing-in-noise during childhood development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srikanta K Mishra
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas.,Department of Communication Disorders, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico
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15
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Aksoy ED, Culhaoğlu B, Öcal FCA, Erbek SS, Erbek HS. Does the Efferent Auditory System Have a Role in Children with Specific Learning Disabilities? Turk Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2019; 57:30-33. [PMID: 31049250 DOI: 10.5152/tao.2019.3748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to compare the baseline transient otoacoustic emission (t-OAE) amplitudes and medial olivo-cochlear (MOC) efferent activity in children with specific learning disability (SLD) and children with normal development. Methods The study was conducted in two groups. The patient group included 30 children aged 6 to 10 years and diagnosed with SLD, and the control group included 30 children in the same age range without SLD. The patient group included eight males and 22 females, and the control group included 14 females and 16 males. t-OAE and contralateral suppression test were performed in both groups. Results In the first t-OAE measurements, a statistically significant difference was observed between the patient and the control group at frequencies of 1400, 2000, 2800, and 4000 Hz, but no such difference was observed at 1000 Hz frequency. In the control group, significantly better emission amplitudes were observed. No differences were found at any frequency between the patient and the control groups after suppression. When the subjects in the two groups were compared among themselves, there was a statistically significant difference between the before and after suppression scores in the patient group except at 4000 Hz. Likewise, an important difference was also observed in all frequencies in the control group. Conclusion This study shows that suppression effects of t-OAE on children diagnosed with SLD and children with no SDL are not significantly different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emine Demirel Aksoy
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Belde Culhaoğlu
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - F Ceyda Akın Öcal
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Gülhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Selim Sermed Erbek
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hatice Seyra Erbek
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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16
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Mertes IB, Johnson KM, Dinger ZA. Olivocochlear efferent contributions to speech-in-noise recognition across signal-to-noise ratios. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 145:1529. [PMID: 31067949 DOI: 10.1121/1.5094766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferent system modifies cochlear output to aid signal detection in noise, but the precise role of efferents in speech-in-noise understanding remains unclear. The current study examined the contribution of the MOC reflex for speech recognition in noise in 30 normal-hearing young adults (27 females, mean age = 22.7 yr). The MOC reflex was assessed using contralateral inhibition of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions. Speech-in-noise perception was evaluated using the coordinate response measure presented in ipsilateral speech-shaped noise at signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) ranging from -12 to 0 dB. Performance was assessed without and with the presence of contralateral noise to activate the MOC reflex. Performance was significantly better with contralateral noise only at the lowest SNR. There was a trend of better performance with increasing contralateral inhibition at the lowest SNR. Threshold of the psychometric function was significantly correlated with contralateral inhibition. Response time on the speech task was not significantly correlated with contralateral inhibition. Results suggest that the MOC reflex contributes to listening in low SNRs and the relationship between the MOC reflex and perception is highly dependent upon the task characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian B Mertes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 901 South Sixth Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA
| | - Kristin M Johnson
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 901 South Sixth Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA
| | - Zoë A Dinger
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 901 South Sixth Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA
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17
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Akbari M, Panahi R, Valadbeigi A, Hamadi Nahrani M. Speech-in-noise perception ability can be related to auditory efferent pathway function: a comparative study in reading impaired and normal reading children. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2019; 86:209-216. [PMID: 30772249 PMCID: PMC9422508 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Deficient auditory processing can cause problems with speech perception and affect the development and evolution of reading skills. The efferent auditory pathway has an important role in normal auditory system functions like speech-in-noise perception, but there is still no general agreement on this. Objective To study the performance of the efferent auditory system in a group of children with reading impairment in comparison with normal reading and evaluation of its relationship with speech-in-noise perception. Methods A total of 53 children between the ages of 8–12 years were selected for the study of which 27 were with reading impairment and 26 were normal reading children. Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions suppression and auditory recognition of words-in-noise test were performed for all the children. Results The average amplitude of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions suppression showed a significant difference between the two groups in the right (p = 0.004) and in the left ear (p = 0.028). Assessment of the relationship between transient evoked otoacoustic emissions suppression and monaural auditory recognition of words-in-noise scores showed a significant moderate negative relationship only in the right ear (p = 0.034, r = −0.41) of the normal reading children. Binaural auditory recognition of words-in-noise scores were significantly correlated with the amplitude of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions suppression in the right ear (p < 0.001, r = −0.75) and in the left ear (p < 0.001, r = −0.64) of normal reading children. In the reading impaired group, ?a weaker correlation was observed between binaural auditory recognition of words-in-noise scores and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions suppression in the right (p = 0.003, r = −0.55) and in the left ear (p = 0.012, r = −0.47). Conclusions Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions suppression pattern in the reading impaired group was different compared with normal reading children, and this difference could be related to efferent system performance. Words-in-noise scores in children with impaired reading were lower than in normal reading children. In addition, a relationship was found between transient evoked otoacoustic emissions suppression and words-in-noise scores in both normal and impaired reading children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Akbari
- Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Audiology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Rasool Panahi
- Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Audiology, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Ayub Valadbeigi
- Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Audiology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Hamadi Nahrani
- Iran University of Medical Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Audiology, Tehran, Iran
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18
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Mertes IB. Human medial efferent activity elicited by dynamic versus static contralateral noises. Hear Res 2018; 365:100-109. [PMID: 29793763 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2018.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) modifies cochlear amplifier function to improve encoding of signals in static noise, but conflicting results have been reported regarding how the MOCR responds to dynamic, temporally-complex noises. The current study utilized three MOCR elicitors with identical spectral content but different temporal properties: broadband noise, amplitude-modulated noise, and speech envelope-modulated noise. MOCR activity was assessed using contralateral inhibition of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions in 27 normal-hearing young adults. Elicitors were presented contralaterally at two intensities of 50 and 60 dB SPL. Magnitude and growth of contralateral inhibition with increasing elicitor intensity were compared across the three elicitor types. Results revealed that contralateral inhibition was significantly larger at the elicitor intensity of 60 dB SPL than at 50 dB SPL, but there were no significant differences in the magnitude and growth of inhibition across the three elicitors, contrary to hypothesis. These results suggest that the MOCR responds similarly to both static and dynamic noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian B Mertes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 901 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, United States.
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19
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Jennings SG, Chen J, Fultz SE, Ahlstrom JB, Dubno JR. Amplitude modulation detection with a short-duration carrier: Effects of a precursor and hearing loss. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 143:2232. [PMID: 29716275 PMCID: PMC5908713 DOI: 10.1121/1.5031122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 03/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This study tests the hypothesis that amplitude modulation (AM) detection will be better under conditions where basilar membrane (BM) response growth is expected to be linear rather than compressive. This hypothesis was tested by (1) comparing AM detection for a tonal carrier as a function of carrier level for subjects with and without cochlear hearing impairment (HI), and by (2) comparing AM detection for carriers presented with and without an ipsilateral notched-noise precursor, under the assumption that the precursor linearizes BM responses. Average AM detection thresholds were approximately 5 dB better for subjects with HI than for subjects with normal hearing (NH) at moderate-level carriers. Average AM detection for low-to-moderate level carriers was approximately 2 dB better with the precursor than without the precursor for subjects with NH, whereas precursor effects were absent or smaller for subjects with HI. Although effect sizes were small and individual differences were noted, group differences are consistent with better AM detection for conditions where BM responses are less compressive due to cochlear hearing loss or due to a reduction in cochlear gain. These findings suggest the auditory system may quickly adjust to the local soundscape to increase effective AM depth and improve signal-to-noise ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skyler G Jennings
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Utah, 390 South, 1530 East, BEHS 1201, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Jessica Chen
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Utah, 390 South, 1530 East, BEHS 1201, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA
| | - Sara E Fultz
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Avenue, MSC 550, Charleston, South Carolina 29425-5500, USA
| | - Jayne B Ahlstrom
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Avenue, MSC 550, Charleston, South Carolina 29425-5500, USA
| | - Judy R Dubno
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Avenue, MSC 550, Charleston, South Carolina 29425-5500, USA
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20
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Lopez-Poveda EA. Olivocochlear Efferents in Animals and Humans: From Anatomy to Clinical Relevance. Front Neurol 2018; 9:197. [PMID: 29632514 PMCID: PMC5879449 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Olivocochlear efferents allow the central auditory system to adjust the functioning of the inner ear during active and passive listening. While many aspects of efferent anatomy, physiology and function are well established, others remain controversial. This article reviews the current knowledge on olivocochlear efferents, with emphasis on human medial efferents. The review covers (1) the anatomy and physiology of olivocochlear efferents in animals; (2) the methods used for investigating this auditory feedback system in humans, their limitations and best practices; (3) the characteristics of medial-olivocochlear efferents in humans, with a critical analysis of some discrepancies across human studies and between animal and human studies; (4) the possible roles of olivocochlear efferents in hearing, discussing the evidence in favor and against their role in facilitating the detection of signals in noise and in protecting the auditory system from excessive acoustic stimulation; and (5) the emerging association between abnormal olivocochlear efferent function and several health conditions. Finally, we summarize some open issues and introduce promising approaches for investigating the roles of efferents in human hearing using cochlear implants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique A Lopez-Poveda
- Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Departamento de Cirugía, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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