Intensity effects of monaural and binaural teoae suppression
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Date
2011-06
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Ohio State University. Department of Speech and Hearing Science
Abstract
Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) were recorded in 14 young adult subjects with normal hearing using linear clicks presented at 45, 50, 55, 60, and 65 dB peSPL while continuous broadband noise was presented ipsilaterally, contralaterally, or binaurally at a constant level of 60 dB peSPL. Preliminary TEOAE suppression analysis was also completed on 3 older adults subjects with mild-moderate sensorineural hearing loss with linear clicks presented at 65 dB peSPL and broadband noise presented ipsilaterally, contralaterally, and binaurally at 60 dB peSPL. The young adult group demonstrated more TEOAE suppression in the binaural and ipsilateral conditions compared to the older adult group at 65 dB peSPL. In young adults, significantly greater TEOAE suppression was observed in the binaural noise condition compared to the ipsilateral and contralateral conditions across intensities. No significant change in the amount of suppression was observed as a function of click stimulus intensity level in the young adult group. The lack of significant changes in suppression magnitude in the binaural condition with stimulus intensity supports a hypothesis that previously observed decreases in binaural suppression with age are related to an MOC aging effect rather than stimulus intensity differences. This finding may contribute to the difficulties hearing in noise and loss of the 'binaural advantage' often experienced by older listeners. [Supported by the NIH National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) Short Term Research Traineeship (T35)]