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- Title
Using auditory steady-state responses for measuring hearing protector occlusion effect.
- Authors
Valentin, Olivier; Laville, Frédéric
- Abstract
<bold>Introduction: </bold>The currently available methods for measuring the occlusion effect (OE) of hearing protection devices (HPDs) have limitations. Objective microphonic measurements do not assess bone-conducted sounds directly transmitted to the cochlea. Psychophysical measurements at threshold are biased due to the low-frequency masking effects from test participants' physiological noise and the variability of measurements based on subjective responses. An auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs) procedure is used as a technique that might overcome these limitations.<bold>Participants and Methods: </bold>Pure-tone stimuli (250 and 500 Hz), with amplitude modulated at 40 Hz, were presented to twelve adults with normal hearing through a bone vibrator at three levels in 10-dB steps. The following two conditions were assessed: the unoccluded ear canal and occluded ear canal. ASSR amplitude data as a function of the stimulation level were linearized using least-square regressions. The ASSR-based "physiological" OE was then calculated as the average difference between the two measurements.<bold>Results: </bold>A significant statistical difference was found between the average threshold-based psychophysical OE and the average ASSR-based OE.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>This study successfully ascertained that it is possible to objectively measure the OE of HPD using ASSRs collected on the same participant both with and without protectors.
- Subjects
AUDITORY masking; HEARING protection; NOISE control; VIBRATORS; LEAST squares; OCCLUSION effect; AUDITORY evoked response; NOISE-induced deafness; HEARING -- Physiological aspects; HEARING levels
- Publication
Noise & Health, 2017, Vol 19, Issue 91, p278
- ISSN
1463-1741
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.4103/nah.NAH_13_17