XCIV Effect of Middle Ear Muscle Action on Certain Psycho-Physical Measurements

Reger, Scott N.

doi:10.1177/000348946006900426

Cited by 36 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…It might be noted parenthetically that the middle-ear muscle system also imposes a high-frequency bias of its own, by selectively attenuating low frequencies more than high frequencies (Reger, 1960 It might be contended at this point that little industrial noise ever gets as high as 110 or 120 dB, and that in practice the high-pass filtering by the middle ear could not therefore have any effect. Such a contention, while in one sense correct, is not entirely accurate.…”

Section: • Wide and About 600 • Thick (Bolz And Lira) Guinan And Peamentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper limit to stapes displacement: implications for hearing loss

Price

1974

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

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Based on calculations from existing data, the human middle ear appears to have a displacement limit of about 30 /x peak to peak and becomes nonlinear at about 10 /x peak to peak. This nonlinearity begins at free-field SPLs of 110 to 120 dB in the midrange of frequencies. The presence of an absolute limit tO stapes displacements indicates that at high SPLs there is a high-frequency bias in the conducting mechanism which may in part be responsible for the high-frequency hearing loss commonly seen following industrial and/or impulsive noise exposure. Subject Classification: 65.24, 65.64. In their classic study of the effect of high-intensity sound on the ear, Davis et al. (1950) made the interesting observation that for a tone in the midrange of frequencies, an increase in SPL from 125 to 130 dB produced less TTS. Since that time, this observation has been confirmed by Miller (1958), Trittipoe (1958), and Ward (1962). Ward (1973) has hypothesized that this peculiar inversion is due to a change in the mode of stapes vibration brought about by a maximum contraction of the middle-ear muscles. While the middle-ear muscles may be responsible for a change in mode ofstapes vibration, an additional explanation is plausible; namely, at high SPLs the middle ear becomes nonlinear and limits sound transmission. If the middle ear imposes an absolute limit on displacement amplitude, then it is also plausible that the commonly observed pattern of high-frequency hearing losses to occupational and other noise exposure may be influenced by the same factor. The middle ear is a remarkably linear system up to very high intensities; at some point, however, it does become nonlinear. The presence of nonlinearities in the middle ear, while not an issue for most conditions of stimulation, may be of some consequence where exposure to high-intensity sound is concerned. For a variety of good reasons, most research has focused on the behavior of the ear at lower intensities, with the result that the middle ear's behavior at high intensities is not well documented. Even though the middle ear has not been systematically studied at high intensities, a few observations have been made. B•k•sy (1960) noted that in cadaver ears, the stapes changed its mode of vibration at high intensities in such a way that less energy was transmitted to the cochlea. Kobrak (1959) also made a similar observation. Kirikae (1960), working with cadaver ears, did not observe the same change of mode (possibly because the stimulus parameters were not right), but did note that at about 154 dB SPL there was an articulatory motion between the malleus and incus which acted to reduce the sound transmitted to the cochlea. Yamamoto (1953) measured the displacement of the stapes in fresh rabbit cadavers in response to slowly varying air pressures. He found that there was an absolute limit to stapes displacements at about 30/•, regardless of further increases in air pressure. Yamamoto also cited evidence from similar measures on human cadavers by Bezold (1880), Helmholtz (1868), and ...

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Section: • Wide and About 600 • Thick (Bolz And Lira) Guinan And Peamentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper limit to stapes displacement: implications for hearing loss

Price

1974

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

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“…Hearing levels were averaged, and a low frequency hearing loss due in the contracted state was identified. Again, bone conduction thresholds were not assessed [17]. In 2013, Angeli et al describe the case of a 27 year old male presenting with voluntarily evoked bilateral tinnitus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Audiometric findings with voluntary tensor tympani contraction

Wickens,

Floyd,

Bance

2017

Journal of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

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BackgroundTensor tympani contraction may have a "signature" audiogram. This study demonstrates audiometric findings during voluntary tensor tympani contraction.MethodsFive volunteers possessing the ability to voluntarily contract their tensor tympani muscles were identified and enrolled. Tensor tympani contraction was confirmed with characteristic tympanometry findings. Study subjects underwent conventional audiometry. Air conduction and bone conduction threshold testing was performed with and without voluntary tensor tympani contraction.Main outcome measureChanges in air conduction and bone conduction thresholds during voluntary tensor tympani contraction.ResultsAudiometric results demonstrate a low frequency mixed hearing loss resulting from tensor tympani contraction. Specifically, at 250 Hz, air conduction thresholds increased by 22 dB and bone conduction thresholds increased by 10 dB.ConclusionsPrevious research has demonstrated a low frequency conductive hearing loss in the setting of tensor tympanic contraction. This is the first study to demonstrate a low frequency mixed hearing loss associated with tensor tympani contraction. This finding may aid in the diagnosis of disorders resulting from abnormal tensor tympani function. Tensor tympani contraction should be included on the differential for low frequency mixed hearing loss.

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“…If the reflex is only an indication that vocalization is going on, this would not be very interesting. Webster cites reports that supposedly show that it is possible in principle to voluntarily control this reflex (Metz, 1951;Reger, 1960). If this were so then it may be possible to train the stutterer to control the reflex voluntarily which would put the feedback right and hopefully stop the stutterer stuttering.…”

Section: Does the Stutterer's Speech Become Normal Under Daf?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Book review

1981

Linguistics

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xii + 392pp.The series Speech and Language edited by Lass is fast establishing itself as essential reading for the research worker in this field. The two volumes being reviewed here (3 and 4) cover phonology (papers by Mowrer; Tatham; Ohala), feedback regulation of production (Borden; Leith and Chmiel; Davis and Drichta) and developmental aspects of language (Menyuk; Starkweather; Adler and Tims). The authors have been given an open brief and a variety of approaches have been taken. For example, there are two papers on velar-pharyngeal functioning; Dickson and Maue-Dickson present an historical review while Bell-Berti proposes a new theory of its operation.In the present review, the position taken in two of the papers is examined -Leith and Chmiel's advocacy of delayed auditory feedback (DAF) as a therapeutic technique to treat stuttering (volume 3) and the consistency of Bell-Berti's model of velar-pharyngeal functioning with extant data (volume 4). Delayed auditory feedback and stutteringThe position taken by Leith and Chmiel is that when a speaker is speaking normally there are auditory and oral sensory cues to tell him what he is achieving. The auditory feedback is air pressure which reaches the speaker's ears by the same mechanism by which he hears other people's speech. Oral feedback reaches him through bone, kinaesthetic and proprioceptive feedback channels. It has been known since Lee's pioneering work that if a normal speaker's auditory feedback is delayed, his speech slows and he stutters (Lee, 1950;. With DAF the auditory signal is delayed but the timing of his oral feedback is unchanged. When

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XCIV Effect of Middle Ear Muscle Action on Certain Psycho-Physical Measurements

Cited by 36 publications

References 14 publications

Upper limit to stapes displacement: implications for hearing loss

Upper limit to stapes displacement: implications for hearing loss

Audiometric findings with voluntary tensor tympani contraction

Book review

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