Relationship between irregularities in spontaneous otoacoustic emissions suppression and psychophysical tuning curves

The suppression of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) allows the objective evaluation of cochlear frequency selectivity by determining the suppression tuning curve (STC). Interestingly, some STCs have additional sidelobes at the high frequency flank, which are thought to result from interacti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2022-02, Vol.151 (2), p.1055-1063
Main Authors: Engler, Sina, Gaudrain, Etienne, de Kleine, Emile, van Dijk, Pim
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustic Stimulation
Cochlea
Humans
Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous
Psychoacoustics
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Summary:The suppression of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) allows the objective evaluation of cochlear frequency selectivity by determining the suppression tuning curve (STC). Interestingly, some STCs have additional sidelobes at the high frequency flank, which are thought to result from interaction between the probe tone and the cochlear standing wave corresponding to the SOAE being suppressed. Sidelobes are often in regions of other neighboring SOAEs but can also occur in the absence of any other SOAE. The aim of this study was to compare STCs and psychoacoustic tuning curves (PTCs). Therefore, STCs and PTCs were measured in: (1) subjects in which the STC had a sidelobe, and (2) subjects without STC sidelobes. Additionally, PTCs were measured in subjects without SOAEs. Across participant groups, the quality factor Q10dB of the PTCs was similar, independently from whether SOAEs were present or absent. Thus, the presence of an SOAE does not provide enhanced frequency selectivity at the emission frequency. Moreover, both PTC and STC show irregularities, but these are not related in a straightforward way. This suggests that different mechanisms cause these irregularities.
ISSN:0001-4966
1520-8524
DOI:10.1121/10.0009278