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. 2001 Aug 31;3(1):16–25. doi: 10.1007/s101620010089

A Multifrequency Method for Determining Cochlear Efferent Activity

Anne E Luebke 1,2,✉, Paul K Foster 1, Barden B Stagner 1
PMCID: PMC3202367  PMID: 12083721

Abstract

A test based on measures of distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) was developed in lightly anesthetized guinea pigs and alert rabbits to assess the effective activation or functional "strength" of the cochlear efferent system. The multifrequency method described here used the DP-gram frequency function to evaluate the fast component of the olivocochlear adaptive effect on DPOAE levels over a 2-octave frequency range. An estimate of any concurrent muscle activation was also determined over the identical frequency range by monitoring the levels of the eliciting f1 primary tone throughout its duration. The acoustic reflex, as measured by this f1 level constancy test, did not appear to contribute to the average efferent strength of sedated guinea pigs, but the acoustic reflex did contribute to the average "efferent" strength of awake rabbits. Hence, the average efferent effect in alert rabbits is contaminated by the acoustic reflex, which confounds its interpretation.

Keywords: cochlea, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, fast adaptation, acoustic reflex, olivocochlear efferent system, guinea pigs, rabbits

Full Text

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Public Health Service (DC03086, DC03114, DC00613) and the University of Miami's Chandler Chair Fund. We would like to thank Dr. Brenda Lonsbury-Martin and Dr. Glen Martin and the reviewers for their suggestions to this article.

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