The value of otoacoustic emissions in the investigation of noise damage

Abstract

Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are sounds generated by a healthy cochlea, as a by-product of the outer hair cell (OHC) activity, and therefore they can provide valuable information on OHC function. Hence, OAE recording techniques can be used for assessment of noise damage, as the most extensive noise-induced changes occur in the cochlea, involving the OHCs, which seem to be particularly vulnerable to noise. OAE recording techniques are simple, non-invasive, and they provide objective information and they are available in routine clinical practice. OAEs are characterized by a high sensitivity in detecting subtle changes of the OHCs and this property makes them very valuable in identifying early noise induced change, even before any notable shift in the audiometric thresholds. Although there is a high inter-individual variability, OAEs display remarkable intra-individual stability and, therefore, they are useful in intra-individual monitoring of subtle changes in cochlear integrity following noise exposure. I...