Distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) following pure tone and wide-band noise exposures

Abstract

The aim of our investigations was to determine how the intensity of distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) changes following different sound and noise exposures. We performed examinations on 20 healthy people with normal hearing. DPOAEs were recorded scanning the 0.5-6 kHz frequency interval before and after the exposures. We exposed the subjects to 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 6 kHz pure tones and wide-band noise (intensity: 80 dB HL, duration: 3 minutes). We conclude that the amplitudes of DPOAEs changed immediately after exposures at most frequencies. DPOAE intensities decreased at some frequencies in the middle frequency range (1-2 kHz), and increased at low and particularly at high frequencies.