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Suppression of Otoacoustic Emissions: An Overview

Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ

Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are tiny acoustic signals that can be measured in the ear canal using a sensitive microphone. They are believed to be a byproduct of outer hair cell electro-motility and are a reflection of the active process in the cochlea. This active process is responsible for low level threshold sensitivity and sharp frequency tuning of the mammalian ear. Many investigators have shown that these emissions can be suppressed by acoustic stimulation of the ipsilateral and contralateral ears. These suppression effects are believed to be mediated by medial olivocochlear efferents, a component of the olivocochlear bundle. This article is an introduction to suppression, the anatomy and physiology of the auditory efferent system and its affect on outer hair cell activity.