Comparison of f2/f1 ratio functions in rabbit and gerbil: Ear-canal DPOAEs vs noninvasively inferred intracochlear DPs

Abstract

The properties of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), i.e., distortion products (DPs) measured in the ear canal, have been thoroughly described. However, considerably less is known about the behavior of intracochlear DPs (iDPs). Detailed comparisons of DPOAEs to iDPs would provide valuable insights on the extent to which ear-canal DPOAEs mirror iDPs. Prior studies described a technique whereby the behavior of iDPs could be inferred by interacting a probe tone (f3) with the iDP of interest to produce a ‘secondary’ DPOAE (DPOAÉ). The behavior of DPOAÉ was then used to deduce the characteristics of the iDP. In the present study, this method was used in rabbits and gerbils to simultaneously compare DPOAE f2/f1-ratio functions to their iDP counterparts. The 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 DPOAEs were collected with f1 and f2 primary-tone levels varied from 35-75 dB SPL, and with a 50-dB SPL f3 placed at a DP/f3 ratio of 1.25 to evoke a DPOAÉ at 2f3-(2f1-f2) or 2f3-(2f2-f1). Control experiments demonstrated little effect of the f3-probe tone on DPOAE-ratio functions. Substitution experiments were performed to determine any suppressive effects of the f1 and f2 primaries on the generation of DPOAÉ, as well as to infer the intracochlear level of the iDP once the DPOAÉ was corrected for suppression. Results showed that at low primary-tone levels, 2f1-f2 DPOAE f2/f1-ratio functions peaked around f2/f1=1.25, and exhibited an inverted U-shaped function. In contrast, simultaneously measured 2f1-f2 iDP-ratio functions peaked at f2/f1≈1. Similar growth of the inferred iDP was obtained for higher-level primaries when the ratio functions were corrected for suppressive effects. At these higher levels, DPOAE-ratio functions leveled off and no longer showed the steep reduction at narrow f2/f1 ratios. Overall, noninvasive estimates of 2f1-f2 iDP-ratio functions agreed with reports of similar functions directly measured for 2f1-f2 DPs on the basilar membrane (BM) or in intracochlear pressure in that as the f2/f1 ratio decreased toward 1, the iDP continued to grow. However, at low levels, 2f1-f2 DPOAE-ratio functions showed the opposite behavior in that they decreased in level at narrow f2/f1 ratios. It is hypothesized that this contrasting behavior occurred, because distributed 2f1-f2 DPOAE components directed basally toward the ear canal are largely in cancellation at narrow ratios, while iDP components directed apically toward the 2f1-f2 DP frequency place add in phase.