Establishing critical differences in ear-canal stimulus amplitude for detecting middle ear muscle reflex activation during olivocochlear efferent measurements

Mertes, Ian B.

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/106120 Copy

Description

Title

Establishing critical differences in ear-canal stimulus amplitude for detecting middle ear muscle reflex activation during olivocochlear efferent measurements

Author(s)

Mertes, Ian B.

Issue Date

2020

Keyword(s)

• Acoustic reflex
• MOC
• contralateral inhibition
• olivocochlear efferent
• otoacoustic emissions

Abstract

Objective: Assessments of the medial olivocochlear reflex (MOCR) may have clinical utility. The MOCR is measured using contralateral inhibition of otoacoustic emissions but concurrent activation of the middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR) confounds test interpretation. MEMR activation can be detected using the change in ear-canal stimulus amplitude without versus with an MOCR elicitor. This study provides a description of how critical differences in ear-canal stimulus amplitude can be established.Design: Clicks were presented in right ears without and with a contralateral MOCR elicitor. Ear-canal stimulus amplitudes were measured. Two measurements without an elicitor were used to develop critical differences. MEMR activation was considered present if the difference in ear-canal stimulus amplitude without versus with an elicitor exceeded the critical difference.Study sample: Forty-six normal-hearing adults (mean age = 23.4 years, 35 females) participated, with data from 44 participants included in the final analysis.Results: Two participants exceeded the 95% critical difference. The 80, 90 and 99% critical differences are also reported for reference.Conclusions: Results suggest that the contralateral elicitor can evoke the MEMR in a small number of participants. The methods described in this paper can be used for developing equipment- and clinic-specific critical differences for detecting MEMR activation.

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106120

DOI

10.1080/14992027.2019.1673491

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (2017 New Investigators Research Grant)
• Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Arnold O. Beckman Award)

Owning Collections