Fine structure in distortion product otoacoustic emissions and auditory perception

Otoacoustic emissions (OAE) are emitted from a healthy ear and can be recorded in the sealed ear canal. The measurement of otoacoustic emissions is well established as a tool for hearing screening. However, until now OAE measurements allow no precise individual prediction of hearing status. The aim of the current work is to increase the basic understanding of distortion-product-otoacoustic-emission (DPOAE) generation and so to increase the value of DPOAE measurements as a diagnostic tool. In chapter 2+3 the results from experiments and modeling of properties of DPOAE-fine structure in normal hearing and hearing impaired subjects give strong evidences for a second DPOAE source within the cochlea. The results in Chapter 4 show that the influence of the second source increases with decreasing stimulation level. Furthermore, it is shown that the variability of DPOAE I/O functions and predictions of hearing thresholds, derived from these, is drastically reduced if the second DPOAE source is canceled out. In Chapter 5 the psychoacoustical side of the problem is investigated. Pure tone thresholds and loudness perception of sinusoids show a pronounced fine structure across frequency with level difference of up to 15 dB. These results are relevant for the comparison of DPOAE and psychoacoustical measurements as well as for the basic understanding of loudness perception near threshold in principle.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Oldenburg

Year

2004

Author dc:creator

• Mauermann, Manfred Dieter

• [Keine Schlagwörter von Autor/in vergeben.]

Repository record source_url

http://oops.uni-oldenburg.de/189

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oops.uni-oldenburg.de:189