Toshiaki O-Uchi

Interaural Difference of Pseudothreshold of Stimulated Otoacoustic Emission in Unilateral Inner Ear Impairments

Stimulated otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) described by Kemp (1978) are acoustic responses which could be detected at the external ear canal with a delay of several milliseconds after tonal stimulation. Anderson and Kemp (1979) have shown with animal experiments that OAE relates to physiologically vulnerable inner ear function. It has been reported by Mountain (1980) and Siegel and Kim (1982) that acoustic distortion products in the external ear canal can be changed by electrical stimulation of the crossed olivo-cochlear bundle. These observations lead to a hypothesis that the OAE originates from the cochlear micromechanics linked with outer hair cells.