Otoacoustic Emissions

Question 1

What are OAEs?

Answer 1

• sounds produced by our ears cochleas

Question 2

What do they tell us?

Answer 2

• about the integrity of our inner ear

Question 3

Where do OAEs come from?

Answer 3

• they are a byproduct of the work of the OHCs (the constant stretching & shrinking)

Question 4

Why do we do them

Answer 4

• to screen auditory functioning

- make assumptions about someone’s hearing

Question 5

Evoked OAEs

Answer 5

• we create the emissions to know exactly where to measure
• the OAEs occur during or immediately after stimulation
• two types: transient-evoked & distortion product

Question 6

DPOAEs

Answer 6

• use 2 puretone stimuli
• measure at 2f1-f1 (the frequency of both tones) so you know exactly what level the OAE should be at — not the only DP, just the

Question 7

What measurement do we take from DPOAE?

Answer 7

• amplitude

Question 8

Key feature of DPOAE

Answer 8

• SNR - signal to noise ratio should be over 5-6 dB

Question 9

OAEs do NOT _______

Answer 9

• test hearing

Question 10

OAEs do ______

Answer 10

• infer likelihood of normal hearing