Evidence for two discrete sources of 2f1-f2 distortion-product otoacoustic emission in rabbit. II: Differential physiological vulnerability.

In a previous report, it was shown that, in normal rabbit ears, the amplitude and phase of 2f1-f2 distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) elicited by low-level (< 60-70 dB SPL) stimuli display a differential dependence on stimulus parameters to those evoked by high-level (> 60-70 dB SPL) stimuli, indicating differences in the underlying generation mechanisms. In the present study, the physiological vulnerability of DPOAEs in each of the two 2f1-f2 DPOAE-response regions identified on the basis of differential parametric properties, was characterized. Thus emissions evoked using stimulus levels from 45-75 dB SPL were measured over time upon: (1) induction of lethal anoxia, (2) acute injection of ethacrynic acid, and (3) acute injection of ethacrynic acid 2 h after a single administration of gentamicin. The DPOAEs evoked by low-level stimuli (45 dB SPL) were abolished within 3-4 min of induction of anoxia, whereas DPOAEs evoked by high-level stimuli (75 dB SPL) were unchanged in this period. The high-level emissions decreased with a complex time course postmortem, and demonstrated behaviors, including evidence of susceptibility to fatigue, suggesting a dependence upon a cochlear energy supply. Low-level DPOAEs could be temporarily abolished, with complete recovery, by an acute administration of ethacrynic acid that had little effect on high-level DPOAEs. Treatment with the gentamicin and ethacrynic-acid combination, which would be expected to produce widespread hair-cell damage, eliminated low-level DPOAEs, and greatly reduced high-level emissions. In combination with previously published data, these findings strongly suggest that low- and high-level 2f1-f2 DPOAEs arise from discrete sources. The data are consistent with the proposal that the low-level DPOAE source is an active, micromechanical process, but suggest that the proposed origin of high-level DPOAEs exclusively in the passive macromechanics of the cochlear partition may be incorrect. The elimination of both low- and high-level DPOAEs revealed the presence of a third, residual 2f1-f2 DPOAE component, approximately 75-80 dB below the stimulus-tone levels, that may reflect the true passive-distortion response of the cochlea.     

Cochlear compression estimates from measurements of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions

Evidence of the compressive growth of basilar-membrane displacement can be seen in distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) levels measured as a function of stimulus level. When the levels of the two stimulus tones (f1 and f2) are related by the formula L1 = 39 dB + 0.4 x L2 [Kummer et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 103, 3431-3444 (1998)] the shape of the function relating DPOAE level to L2 is similar (up to an L2 of 70 dB SPL) to the classic Fletcher and Munson [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 9, 1-10 (1933)] loudness function when plotted on a logarithmic scale. Explicit estimates of compression have been derived based on recent DPOAE measurements from the laboratory. If DPOAE growth rate is defined as the slope of the DPOAE I/O function (in dB/dB), then a cogent definition of compression is the reciprocal of the growth rate. In humans with normal hearing, compression varies from about 1 at threshold to about 4 at 70 dB SPL. With hearing loss, compression is still about 1 at threshold, but grows more slowly above threshold. Median DPOAE I/O data from ears with normal hearing, mild loss, and moderate loss are each well fit by log functions. When the I/O function is logarithmic, then the corresponding compression is a linear function of stimulus level. Evidence of cochlear compression also exists in DPOAE suppression tuning curves, which indicate the level of a third stimulus tone (f3) that reduces DPOAE level by 3 dB. All three stimulus tones generate compressive growth within the cochlea; however, only the relative compression (RC) of the primary and suppressor responses is observable in DPOAE suppression data. An RC value of 1 indicates that the cochlear responses to the primary and suppressor components grow at the same rate. In normal ears, RC rises to 4, when f3 is an octave below f2. The similarities between DPOAE and loudness compression estimates suggest the possibility of predicting loudness growth from DPOAEs; however, intersubject variability makes such predictions difficult at this time.     

Cortical responses to the 2f1-f2 combination tone measured indirectly using magnetoencephalography

The simultaneous presentation of two tones with frequencies f(1) and f(2) causes the perception of several combination tones in addition to the original tones. The most prominent of these are at frequencies f(2)-f(1) and 2f(1)-f(2). This study measured human physiological responses to the 2f(1)-f(2) combination tone at 500 Hz caused by tones of 750 and 1000 Hz with intensities of 65 and 55 dB SPL, respectively. Responses were measured from the cochlea using the distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and from the auditory cortex using the 40-Hz steady-state magnetoencephalographic (MEG) response. The perceptual response was assessed by having the participant adjust a probe tone to cause maximal beating ("best-beats") with the perceived combination tone. The cortical response to the combination tone was evaluated in two ways: first by presenting a probe tone with a frequency of 460 Hz at the perceptual best-beats level, resulting in a 40-Hz response because of interaction with the combination tone at 500 Hz, and second by simultaneously presenting two f(1) and f(2) pairs that caused combination tones that would themselves beat at 40 Hz. The 2f(1)-f(2) DPOAE in the external auditory canal had a level of 2.6 (s.d. 12.1) dB SPL. The 40-Hz MEG response in the contralateral cortex had a magnitude of 0.39 (s.d. 0.1) nA m. The perceived level of the combination tone was 44.8 (s.d. 11.3) dB SPL. There were no significant correlations between these measurements. These results indicate that physiological responses to the 2f(1)-f(2) combination tone occur in the human auditory system all the way from the cochlea to the primary auditory cortex. The perceived magnitude of the combination tone is not determined by the measured physiological response at either the cochlea or the cortex.     

Modifications of a single saturating non-linearity account for post-onset changes in 2f1-f2 distortion product otoacoustic emission

2f1-f2 distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were recorded from guinea pigs. DPOAEs showed complex time dependence at the onset of stimulation. The DPOAE, measured during the first 500 ms, can either decrease or increase at the onset depending on both the frequencies and levels of the primary tones. These changes are closely associated with amplitude minima (notches) of the DPOAE I/O functions. These notches are characteristic of DPOAE growth functions measured from guinea pigs for primary tones of 50-60-dB sound-pressure level (SPL). Apparent changes in the DPOAE amplitude occur because the notch shifts to higher levels of the primaries during the onset of stimulation. This shift of the notch to higher levels increases for lower f2/f1 ratios but does not exceed about 2 dB. DPOAE amplitude increases for a constant level of the primaries if the onset emission is situated at the low-level, falling slope of the notch. If the onset DPOAE is located on the high-level, rising slope of the notch, then the upward shift of the notch causes the emission either to decrease monotonically, or to decrease initially and then increase. By establishing that the 2f1-f2 onset changes reflect a shift in the growth-function notch, it is possible to predict the temporal behavior of DPOAEs in the two-dimensional space of the amplitude of the primaries and for their different frequency ratios.     

The influence of systematic primary-tone level variation L2-L1 on the acoustic distortion product emission 2f1-f2 in normal human ears

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of primary-tone level variation, L2--L1, on the amplitude of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). The DPOAE at the frequency 2f1--f2 (f2 greater than f1) was measured in 20 ears of ten normally hearing subjects. Acoustic distortion products were generated by primaries f1 and f2 with geometric mean frequencies of 1, 2, and 4 kHz. The f2/f1 ratios were 1.25 (1 kHz), 1.23 (2 kHz), and 1.21 (4 kHz). The primary-tone level L1 was kept constant at either 65 or 75 dB SPL while the second primary-tone level L2 was varied between 20 and 90 dB SPL in 5-dB steps. The level differences L2--L1 generating maximal DPOAE amplitudes depended on L1 and on the geometric mean frequency of f1 and f2. There were large interindividual differences. Overall, the L2--L1 evoking maximal mean DPOAE amplitudes was --10 dB for geometric mean frequencies of 1 and 2 kHz with both L1 = 65 dB SPL and L1 = 75 dB SPL. For 4 kHz, L2-L1 was --5 dB with L1 = 65 dB SPL and 0 dB with L1 = 75 dB SPL. The mean slopes of the DPOAE growth functions in the initial linearly increasing portions were steeper at higher stimulus frequencies, increasing from 0.52 at 1 kHz to 0.72 at 4 kHz for L1 = 65 dB SPL and from 0.48 at 1 kHz to 0.72 at 4 kHz for L1 = 75 dB SPL.     

Distortion product otoacoustic emission input/output functions in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired human ears.

DPOAE input/output (I/O) functions were measured at 7f2 frequencies (1 to 8 kHz; f2/f1 = 1.22) over a range of levels (-5 to 95 dB SPL) in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired human ears. L1-L2 was level dependent in order to produce the largest 2f1-f2 responses in normal ears. System distortion was determined by collecting DP data in six different acoustic cavities. These data were used to derive a multiple linear regression model to predict system distortion levels. The model was tested on cochlear-implant users and used to estimate system distortion in all other ears. At most but not all f2's, measurements in cochlear implant ears were consistent with model predictions. At all f2 frequencies, the ears with normal auditory thresholds produced I/O functions characterized by compressive nonlinear regions at moderate levels, with more rapid growth at low and high stimulus levels. As auditory threshold increased, DPOAE threshold increased, accompanied by DPOAE amplitude reductions, notably over the range of levels where normal ears showed compression. The slope of the I/O function was steeper in impaired ears. The data from normal-hearing ears resembled direct measurements of basilar membrane displacement in lower animals. Data from ears with hearing loss showed that the compressive region was affected by cochlear damage; however, responses at high levels of stimulation resembled those observed in normal ears.     

In search of basal distortion product generators

The 2f1-f2 distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) is thought to arise primarily from the complex interaction of components that come from two different cochlear locations. Such distortion has its origin in the nonlinear interaction on the basilar membrane of the excitation patterns resulting from the two stimulus tones, f1 and f2. Here we examine the spatial extent of initial generation of the 2f1-f2 OAE by acoustically traumatizing the base of the cochlea and so eliminating the contribution of the basal region of the cochlea to the generation of 2f1-f2. Explicitly, amplitude-modulated, or continuously varying in level, stimulus tones with f2/f1= 1.2 and f2 =8000-8940 Hz were used to generate the 2f1-f2 DPOAE in guinea pig before and after acoustically traumatizing the basal region of the cochlea (the origin of any basal-to-f2 distortion product generators). It was found, based on correlation analysis, that there does not appear to be a basal-to-f2 distortion product generation mechanism contributing significantly to the guinea pig 2f1-f2 OAE up to L1 = 80 dB sound pressure level (SPL).     

Investigating the wave-fixed and place-fixed origins of the 2f(1)-f(2) distortion product otoacoustic emission within a micromechanical cochlear model

The 2f(1)-f(2) distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) arises within the cochlea due to the nonlinear interaction of two stimulus tones (f(1) and f(2)). It is thought to comprise contributions from a wave-fixed source and a place-fixed source. The generation and transmission of the 2f(1)-f(2) DPOAE is investigated here using quasilinear solutions to an elemental model of the human cochlea with nonlinear micromechanics. The micromechanical parameters and nonlinearity are formulated to match the measured response of the cochlea to single- and two-tone stimulation. The controlled introduction of roughness into the active micromechanics of the model allows the wave- and place-fixed contributions to the DPOAE to be studied separately. It is also possible to manipulate the types of nonlinear suppression that occur within the quasilinear model to investigate the influence of stimulus parameters on DPOAE generation. The model predicts and explains a variety of 2f(1)-f(2) DPOAE phenomena: The dependence of emission amplitude on stimulus parameters, the weakness of experiments designed to quantify cochlear amplifier gain, and the predominant mechanism which gives rise to DPOAE fine structure. In addition, the model is used to investigate the properties of the wave-fixed source and how these properties are influenced by the stimulus parameters.     

The effect of stimulus-frequency ratio on distortion product otoacoustic emission components

A detailed measurement of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) fine structure was used to extract estimates of the two major components believed to contribute to the overall DPOAE level in the ear canal. A fixed-ratio paradigm was used to record DPOAE fine structure from three normal-hearing ears over a range of 400 Hz for 12 different stimulus-frequency ratios between 1.053 and 1.36 and stimulus levels between 45 and 75 dB SPL. Inverse Fourier transforms of the amplitude and phase data were filtered to extract the early component from the generator region of maximum stimulus overlap and the later component reflected from the characteristic frequency region of the DPOAE. After filtering, the data were returned to the frequency domain to evaluate the impact of the stimulus-frequency ratio and stimulus level on the relative levels of the components. Although there were significant differences between data from different ears some consistent patterns could be detected. The component from the overlap region of the stimulus tones exhibits a bandpass shape, with the maximum occurring at a ratio of 1.2. The mean data from the DPOAE characteristic frequency region also exhibits a bandpass shape but is less sharply tuned and exhibits greater variety across ears and stimulus levels. The component from the DPOAE characteristic frequency region is dominant at ratios narrower than approximately 1.1 (the transition varies between ears). The relative levels of the two components are highly variable at ratios greater than 1.3 and highly dependent on the stimulus level. The reflection component is larger at all ratios at the lowest stimulus level tested (45/45 dB SPL). We discuss the factors shaping DPOAE-component behavior and some cursory implications for the choice of stimulus parameters to be used in clinical protocols.     

Physiopathological significance of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions at 2f1-f2 produced by high- versus low-level stimuli

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions emitted by the cochlea at 2f1-f2 in response to pairs of pure tones at f1 and f2 (DPOAE) form a class of otoacoustic emissions and as such, are viewed as a reliable tool for screening outer hair cell (OHC) dysfunctions on a pass/fail basis. However, the persistence of residual DPOAEs from impaired cochleae at high stimulus levels has suggested that above 60-70 dB SPL, instead of reflecting "active" cochlear motion, DPOAEs might represent another "passive" modality: they would thus become unsuitable for analyzing cochlear function. The present work reports the consequences on high- vs low-level DPOAEs of three types of cochlear impairments involving OHCs: progressive OHC degeneration of genetic origin in CD1 mice, complete cochlear ischemia in gerbils, and furosemide injection vs ischemia-reperfusion in gerbils. An alternative to the "active-passive" model was used wherein regardless of stimulus level, cubic DPOAEs are produced by N (probably OHC-borne) nonlinear elements driven by input I and modulated by a function F3 of their operating point o; thus, DPOAE proportional to NI3F3(o). When OHCs degenerated, thereby implying a decrease of N, DPOAE levels also decreased regardless of the stimulus level up to 80 dB SPL, in line with the previous formula but at variance with the prediction of the active-passive concept. Instead of affecting N, the other two experiments impaired the efficiency of the cochlear feedback loop as a result of its electrical drive being decreased by strial dysfunction. As it is well accepted that the impaired basilar-membrane motion, although greatly reduced at low levels, tends to catch up with a normal one at higher levels, it was assumed the same was true with I so that DPOAE levels had to be, and indeed were little affected at high levels while plummeting at low levels, without any need for invoking two modalities for DPOAE generation. Finally, comparisons of furosemide vs ischemia effects revealed additional influences on DPOAEs, possibly accounted for by function F3(o). These results lead to the proposal that although high-level DPOAEs are expected to be poor audiometric indicators, they seem well adapted to assessing the functional integrity of nonlinear elements in OHCs, i.e., presumably their mechanoelectrical transduction channels.     

Distortion product otoacoustic emission test performance when both 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 are used to predict auditory status

The objective of this study was to determine whether distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) test performance, defined as its ability to distinguish normal-hearing ears from those with hearing loss, can be improved by examining response and noise amplitudes at 2 f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 simultaneously. In addition, there was interest in knowing whether measurements at both DPs and for several primary frequency pairs can be used in a multivariate analysis to further optimize test performance. DPOAE and noise amplitudes were measured at 2f1-f2 and 2 f2-f1 for 12 primary levels (L2 from 10 to 65 dB SPL in 5-dB steps) and 9 pairs of primary frequencies (0.5 to 8 kHz in 1/2-octave steps). All data were collected in a sound-treated room from 70 subjects with normal hearing and 80 subjects with hearing loss. Subjects had normal middle-ear function at the time of the DPOAE test, based on standard tympanometric measurements. Measurement-based stopping rules were used such that the test terminated when the noise floor around the 2 f1-f2 DP was < or = -30 dB SPL or after 32 s of artifact-free averaging, whichever occurred first. Data were analyzed using clinical decision theory in which relative operating characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed and areas under the ROC curves were estimated. In addition, test performance was assessed by selecting the criterion value that resulted in a sensitivity of 90% and determining the specificity at that criterion value. Data were analyzed using traditional univariate comparisons, in which predictions about auditory status were based only on data obtained when f2 = audiometric frequency. In addition, multivariate analysis techniques were used to determine whether test performance can be optimized by using many variables to predict auditory status. As expected, DPOAEs were larger for 2f1-f2 compared to 2 f2-f1 in subjects with normal hearing. However, noise amplitudes were smaller for 2f2-f1, but this effect was restricted to the lowest f2 frequencies. A comparison of signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) within normal-hearing ears showed that the 2f1-f2 DP was more frequently characterized by larger SNRs compared to 2f2-f1. However, there were several subjects in whom 2f2-f1 produced a larger SNR. ROC curve areas and specificities for a fixed sensitivity increased only slightly when data from both DPs were used to predict auditory status. Multivariate analyses, in which the inputs included both DPs for several primary frequency pairs surrounding each audiometric frequency, produced the highest areas and specificities. Thus, DPOAE test performance was improved slightly by examining data at two DP frequencies simultaneously. This improvement was achieved at no additional cost in terms of test time. When measurements at both DPs were combined with data obtained for several primary frequency pairs and then analyzed in a multivariate context, the best test performance was achieved. Excellent test performance (ROC) curve areas >0.95% and specificities >92% at all frequencies, including 500 Hz, were achieved for these conditions. Although the results described should be validated on an independent set of data, they suggest that the accuracy with which DPOAE measurements identify auditory status can be improved with multivariate analyses and measurements at multiple DPs.     

Distortion product otoacoustic emission suppression tuning curves in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired human ears

Distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) suppression measurements were made in 20 subjects with normal hearing and 21 subjects with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. The probe consisted of two primary tones (f2, f1), with f2 held constant at 4 kHz and f2/f1 = 1.22. Primary levels (L1, L2) were set according to the equation L1 = 0.4 L2 + 39 dB [Kummer et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 103, 3431-3444 (1998)], with L2 ranging from 20 to 70 dB SPL (normal-hearing subjects) and 50-70 dB SPL (subjects with hearing loss). Responses elicited by the probe were suppressed by a third tone (f3), varying in frequency from 1 octave below to 1/2 octave above f2. Suppressor level (L3) varied from 5 to 85 dB SPL. Responses in the presence of the suppressor were subtracted from the unsuppressed condition in order to convert the data into decrements (amount of suppression). The slopes of the decrement versus L3 functions were less steep for lower frequency suppressors and more steep for higher frequency suppressors in impaired ears. Suppression tuning curves, constructed by selecting the L3 that resulted in 3 dB of suppression as a function of f3, resulted in tuning curves that were similar in appearance for normal and impaired ears. Although variable, Q10 and Q(ERB) were slightly larger in impaired ears regardless of whether the comparisons were made at equivalent SPL or equivalent sensation levels (SL). Larger tip-to-tail differences were observed in ears with normal hearing when compared at either the same SPL or the same SL, with a much larger effect at similar SL. These results are consistent with the view that subjects with normal hearing and mild-to-moderate hearing loss have similar tuning around a frequency for which the hearing loss exists, but reduced cochlear-amplifier gain.     

Sources of DPOAEs revealed by suppression experiments,inverse fast Fourier transforms,and SFOAEs in impaired ears

DPOAE sources are modeled by intermodulation distortion generated near the f2 place and a reflection of this distortion near the DP place. In a previous paper, inverse fast Fourier transforms (IFFTs) of DPOAE filter functions in normal ears were consistent with this model [Konrad-Martin et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 109, 2862-2879 (2001)]. In the present article, similar measurements were made in ears with specific hearing-loss configurations. It was hypothesized that hearing loss at f2 or DP frequencies would influence the relative contributions to the DPOAE from the corresponding basilar membrane places, and would affect the relative magnitudes of SFOAEs at frequencies equal to f2 and fDP. DPOAEs were measured with f2 = 4 kHz, f1 varied, and a suppressor near fDP. L2 was 25-55 dB SPL (L1 = L2 + 10 dB). SFOAEs were measured at f2 and at 2.7 kHz (the average fDP produced by the f1 sweep) for stimulus levels of 20-60 dB SPL. SFOAE results supported predictions of the pattern of amplitude differences between SFOAEs at 4 and 2.7 kHz for sloping losses, but did not support predictions for the rising- and flat-loss categories. Unsuppressed IFFTs for rising losses typically had one peak. IFFTs for flat or sloping losses typically have two or more peaks; later peaks were more prominent in ears with sloping losses compared to normal ears. Specific predictions were unambiguously supported by the results for only four of ten cases, and were generally supported in two additional cases. Therefore, the relative contributions of the two DPOAE sources often were abnormal in impaired ears, but not always in the predicted manner.     

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions and basilar membrane vibration in the 6-9 kHz region of sensitive chinchilla cochleae

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and basilar membrane (BM) vibration were measured simultaneously in the 6-9 kHz region of chinchilla cochleae. BM-Input-Output functions in a two-tone paradigm behaved similarly to DPOAEs for the 2f1-f2 component, nonmonotonic growth with the intensity of the lower frequency primary and a notch in the functions around 60 dB SPL. Ripples in frequency functions occur in both BM and OAE curves as a function of the distortion frequency. Optimum f2/f1 ratios for DPOAE generation are near 1.2. The slope of phase curves indicates that for low f2f1(<1.1) the emission source is the place location while for f2f1>1.1 the relative constancy of the phase function suggests that the place is the nonlinear region of f2, i.e., the wave location. Magnitudes of the DPOAEs increase rapidly above 60 dB SPL suggesting a different source or mechanism at high levels. This is supported by the observation that the high level DPOAE and BM-DP responses remain for a considerable period postmortem.     

Pure-tone threshold estimation from extrapolated distortion product otoacoustic emission I/O-functions in normal and cochlear hearing loss ears

A new method for direct pure-tone threshold estimation from input/output functions of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) in humans is presented. Previous methods use statistical models relating DPOAE level to hearing threshold including additional parameters e.g., age or slope of DPOAE I/O-function. Here we derive a DPOAE threshold from extrapolated DPOAE I/O-functions directly. Cubic 2 f1-f2 distortion products and pure-tone threshold at f2 were measured at 51 frequencies between f2=500 Hz and 8 kHz at up to ten primary tone levels between L2=65 and 20 dB SPL in 30 normally hearing and 119 sensorineural hearing loss ears. Using an optimized primary tone level setting (L1 = 0.4L2 + 39 dB) that accounts for the nonlinear interaction of the two primaries at the DPOAE generation site at f2, the pressure of the 2 f1-f2 distortion product pDP is a linear function of the primary tone level L2. Linear regression yields correlation coefficients higher than 0.8 in the majority of the DPOAE I/O-functions. The linear behavior is sufficiently fulfilled for all frequencies in normal and impaired hearing. This suggests that the observed linear functional dependency is quite general. Extrapolating towards pDP=0 yields the DPOAE threshold for L2. There is a significant correlation between DPOAE threshold and pure-tone threshold (r=0.65, p<0.001). Thus, the DPOAEs that reflect the functioning of an essential element of peripheral sound processing enable a reliable estimation of cochlear hearing threshold up to hearing losses of 50 dBHL without any statistical data.     

Level dependence of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions measured at high frequencies in humans

Given that high-frequency hearing is most vulnerable to cochlear pathology, it is important to characterize distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) measured with higher-frequency stimuli in order to utilize these measures in clinical applications. The purpose of this study was to explore the dependence of DPOAE amplitude on the levels of the evoking stimuli at frequencies greater than 8 kHz, and make comparisons with those data that have been extensively measured with lower-frequency stimuli. To accomplish this, DPOAE amplitudes were measured at six different f2 frequencies (2, 5, 10, 12, 14, and 16 kHz), with a frequency ratio (f2/f1) of 1.2, at five fixed levels (30 to 70 dB SPL) of one primary (either f1 or f2), while the other primary was varied in level (30 to 70 dB SPL). Generally, the level separation between the two primary tones (L1 > L2) generating the largest DPOAE amplitude (referred to as the "optimal level separation") decreased as the level of the fixed primary increased. Additionally, the optimal level separation was frequency dependent, especially at the lower fixed primary tone levels ( < or = 50 dB SPL). In agreement with previous studies, the DPOAE level exhibited greater dependence on L1 than on L2.     

Acoustic distortion products in humans: systematic changes in amplitudes as a function of f2/f1 ratio

The effects of primary-tone separation on the amplitude of distortion-product emissions (DPEs) at the 2f1-f2 frequency were systematically examined in ten ears of five subjects. All individuals had normal hearing and middle-ear function based upon standard clinical measures. Acoustic-distortion products were elicited at 1, 2.5, and 4 kHz by equilevel primaries at 65, 75, and 85 dB SPL, while f2/f1 ratios were varied in 0.02 increments from 1.01-1.41 (4 kHz), 1.01-1.59 (2.5 kHz), or 1.01-1.79 (1 kHz). A principal outcome reflected in the detailed structure of both average and individual ratio functions was a nonmonotonic change in DPE amplitude as the ratio of f2/f1 increased. Despite the presence of amplitude nonmonotonicities, there was clearly a region of f1 and f2 separation that generated a maximum DPE. The effects of primary-tone separation on DPE amplitudes were systematically related to DPE frequency and primary-tone level. For all three levels of stimulation, the f2/f1 ratio was inversely related to DPE frequency. Thus larger ratios reflecting a greater separation of f1 and f2 were more effective in generating DPEs at 1 kHz rather than at 4 kHz. The optimal ratio for 2.5 kHz fell at an intermediate value. Conversely, acoustic distortion-product amplitude as a function of primary-tone level was directly related to the frequency separation of the primary tones. Regardless of the frequency region of the primary tones, smaller f2/f1 ratios were superior in generating DPEs in response to 65-dB stimuli, whereas larger ratios elicited bigger DPEs with primaries at 75 and 85 dB SPL. Within any specific stimulus-parameter combination, individual variability in DPE amplitude was noted. When all stimulus conditions describing the variations in frequency and level were considered, an f2/f1 ratio of 1.22 was most effective in maximizing DPE amplitude.     

Hybrid measurement of auditory steady-state responses and distortion product otoacoustic emissions using an amplitude-modulated primary tone

A maximum auditory steady-state response (ASSR) amplitude is yielded when the ASSR is elicited by an amplitude-modulated tone (f(c)) with a fixed modulation frequency (f(m) = 40 Hz), whereas the maximum distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) level is yielded when the DPOAE is elicited using a fixed frequency ratio of the primary tones (f2/f1 = 1.2). When eliciting the DPOAE and ASSR by the same tone pair, optimal stimulation is present for either DPOAE or ASSR and thus adequate simultaneous DPOAE/ASSR measurement is not possible across test frequency f2 or f(c), respectively. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the ASSR and DPOAE can be measured simultaneously without notable restrictions using a DPOAE stimulus setting in which one primary tone is amplitude modulated. A DPOAE of frequency 2f1-f2 and ASSR of modulation frequency 41 Hz were measured in ten normal hearing subjects at a test frequency between 0.5 and 8 kHz (f2 = f(c)). The decrease in the DPOAE level and the loss in ASSR amplitude during hybrid mode stimulation amounted, on average, to only 2.60 dB [standard deviation (SD) = 1.38 dB] and 1.83 dB (SD = 2.38 dB), respectively. These findings suggest simultaneous DPOAE and ASSR measurements to be feasible across all test frequencies when using a DPOAE stimulus setting where the primary tone f2 is amplitude modulated.     

Evidence for the distortion product frequency place as a source of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) fine structure in humans. I. Fine structure and higher-order DPOAE as a function of the frequency ratio f2/f1

Critical experiments were performed in order to validate the two-source hypothesis of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) generation. Measurements of the spectral fine structure of DPOAE in response to stimulation with two sinusoids have been performed with normal-hearing subjects. The dependence of fine-structure patterns on the frequency ratio f2/f1 was investigated by changing f1 or f2 only (fixed f2 or fixed f1 paradigm, respectively), and by changing both primaries at a fixed ratio and looking at different order DPOAE. When f2/f1 is varied in the fixed ratio paradigm, the patterns of 2 f1-f2 fine structure vary considerably more if plotted as a function of f2 than as a function of fDP. Different order distortion products located at the same characteristic place on the basilar membrane (BM) show similar patterns for both, the fixed-f2 and fDP paradigms. Fluctuations in DPOAE level up to 20 dB can be observed. In contrast, the results from a fixed-fDP paradigm do not show any fine structure but only an overall dependence of DP level on the frequency ratio, with a maximum for 2f1-f2 at f2/f1 close to 1.2. Similar stimulus configurations used in the experiments have also been used for computer simulations of DPOAE in a nonlinear and active model of the cochlea. Experimental results and model simulations give strong evidence for a two-source model of DPOAE generation: The first source is the initial nonlinear interaction of the primaries close to the f2 place. The second source is caused by coherent reflection from a re-emission site at the characteristic place of the distortion product frequency. The spectral fine structure of DPOAE observed in the ear canal reflects the interaction of both these sources.     

Further efforts to predict pure-tone thresholds from distortion product otoacoustic emission input/output functions

Recently, Boege and Janssen [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 111, 1810-1818 (2002)] fit linear equations to distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) input/output (UO) functions after the DPOAE level (in dB SPL) was converted into pressure (in microPa). Significant correlations were observed between these DPOAE thresholds and audiometric thresholds. The present study extends their work by (1) evaluating the effect of frequency, (2) determining the behavioral thresholds in those conditions that did not meet inclusion criteria, and (3) including a wider range of stimulus levels. DPOAE I/O functions were measured in as many as 278 ears of subjects with normal and impaired hearing. Nine f2 frequencies (500 to 8000 Hz in 1/2-octave steps) were used, L2 ranged from 10 to 85 dB SPL (5-dB steps), and L1 was set according to the equation L1 = 0.4L2 + 39 dB [Kummer et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 103, 3431-3444 (1998)] for L2 levels up to 65 dB SPL, beyond which L1 = L2. For the same conditions as those used by Boege and Janssen, we observed a frequency effect such that correlations were higher for mid-frequency threshold comparisons. In addition, a larger proportion of conditions not meeting inclusion criteria at mid and high frequencies had hearing losses exceeding 30 dB HL, compared to lower frequencies. These results suggest that DPOAE I/O functions can be used to predict audiometric thresholds with greater accuracy at mid and high frequencies, but only when certain inclusion criteria are met. When the SNR inclusion criterion is not met, the expected amount of hearing loss increases. Increasing the range of input levels from 20-65 dB SPL to 10-85 dB SPL increased the number of functions meeting inclusion criteria and increased the overall correlation between DPOAE and behavioral thresholds.