Abstract
The effects of intense sound exposure on spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAE) were measured in normally hearing human subjects as a function of exposure duration and frequency region. Consistent with the TTS literature, exposures one‐half to one‐quarter oct below the SOAE frequency have the largest effect. A 30‐s, 105‐dB SPL exposure shifts the SOAE frequency downward, while having little effect on SOAE amplitude. Recovery is biphasic: In the first minute post‐exposure, the SOAE frequency changes rapidly; over the next 20 to 30 min, the SOAE slowly returns to pre‐exposure values. Exposures of 15 and 60 s have similar effects. These results suggest that alterations in cochlear mechanics can be produced by stimuli that do not typically produce TTS. [Work supported by NINCDS grants R15 NS23202‐01 (SJN & CAC) and T‐32‐NS07257 (JBM).]
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