Impact of three hours of discotheque music on pure-tone thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emissions

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are a suitable means for detecting changes in outer hair cell (OHC) functionality due to exposure to three hours of discotheque music and whether efferent reflex strength of the medial olivocochlear bundle is able to predict the ear's susceptibility to high-level noise. High-resolution DPOAEs (Δf(2)=47 Hz) were recorded between 3.5 and 4.5 kHz at close-to-threshold primary tone levels. For comparison, high-resolution pure-tone audiometry was conducted in the same frequency range. Efferent reflex strength was measured by means of DPOAEs at a specific frequency with and without contralateral acoustic stimulation. A significant deterioration of more than 10 dB was found for pure-tone thresholds and DPOAE levels indicating that three hours of high-level noise exert a considerable influence on hearing capability and OHC functionality. A significant correlation between shifts in pure-tone threshold and shifts in DPOAE level occurred when removing data with differing calibration across measurements. There was no clear correlation between efferent reflex strength and shifts in pure-tone threshold or shifts in DPOAE level suggesting that the applied measures of efferent reflex strength may not be suitable for quantifying individual vulnerability to noise.

Assessment of the Noise-Protective Action of the Olivocochlear Efferents in Humans

“…tween the DPOAE shift and TTS. Müller and Janssen [2008] did not find any correlations between CS of DPOAE and the TTS induced by 1 day of occupational noise, or the TTS caused by 3 h of noise exposure in a discotheque [Müller et al, 2010], respectively. In some of the previous studies [Wagner et al, 2005;Müller and Janssen, 2008], the amount of TTS was rather small, thus limiting the distinction of individual noise vulnerability; further, noise exposure probably varied to some extent due to field study conditions [Veuillet et al, 1991;Wagner et al, 2005;Müller and Janssen, 2008].…”

“…In the present study, subjects were exposed to broadband noise similar to the paradigm of Strasser et al [2003] but without additional impulse noise to reduce the risk of permanent hearing impairment. In a recent study by Müller et al [2010], noise exposure over 3 h in a typical discotheque amounted to an average of 102 dB(A) with a maximum of 106 dB(A).…”

Otoacoustic-emission-based medial-olivocochlear reflex assays for humans

“…However, their MOCR test was possibly confounded with crossover noise from the headphones, and the MEMR could have been activated by the high (65 dB SPL) contralateral noise elicitor (e.g., Guinan et al, 2003). A DPOAE-based MOCR test did not predict temporary NIHL (Muller and Janssen, 2008;Muller et al, 2010). In addition to the complicating factor of using DPOAEs, the MOCR was measured at the nulls in the DPOAE spectrum, which although yielding larger MOCR changes (Wagner et al, 2007), does not provide an accurate measure of MOCR activity (Abdala et al, 2009;Guinan, 2012).…”

Hearing and loud music exposure in 14-15 years old adolescents

“…Such is the case of nightclubs where the sound pressure levels can easily exceed 100 dBA, which is thought to constitute a risk for hearing damage. [6,7] According to Morata, [4] the term "music-induced hearing loss" should be used instead of "NIHL." The World Health Organization [8] has warned about hearing loss as a consequence of excessive noise exposure, considering it one of the "most frequent irreversible illnesses," especially among young people, thus calling for actions addressed to its early diagnosis and prevention.…”