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The Auditory Ossicles

The Auditory Ossicles

The auditory ossicles of the middle ear transmit sounds from the air as vibrations to the fluid-filled cochlea. The auditory ossicles consist of two malleus (hammer) bones, two incus (anvil) bones, and two stapes (stirrups), one on each side. These bones develop during the fetal stage and are the ones to ossify first. They are fully mature at birth and do not grow afterward.
The aptly named stapes look very much like a stirrup. The three ossicles are unique to mammals, and each plays a role in...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses

Published on: January 23, 2017

Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions in two infants.

Kimitaka Kaga¹, Yusuke Akamatsu, Masako Nakamura

¹National Institute of Sensory Organs, National Tokyo Medical Center, Tokyo. kimikaga-tky@umin.ac.jp

Acta Oto-Laryngologica

|December 17, 2008

Summary

Audible spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) were observed in two infants, characterized by continuous sounds originating from their ears. These unique SOAEs persisted as the infants developed, suggesting infantile outer hair cell hyperactivity.

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Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations

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Published on: July 1, 2015

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Last Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses

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Published on: January 23, 2017

Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations

Infant Auditory Processing and Event-related Brain Oscillations

Published on: July 1, 2015

Area of Science:

Otoacoustic emissions research
Pediatric audiology
Auditory system development

Background:

Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) are typically not audible to humans.
Infantile SOAEs are rare and their characteristics require further investigation.

Observation:

Two infants presented with audible continuous sounds emanating from their ears, perceived by their parents.
Audiological examinations, including distortion-product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), were performed.
Frequency analysis identified SOAEs at 4.2, 6.5, and 6.7 kHz for the two patients.

Findings:

The infants exhibited normal DPOAEs and ABRs, indicating healthy cochlear function.
The audible sounds were objectively diagnosed as SOAEs.
These infantile SOAEs persisted over a two-year follow-up period, showing no signs of disappearance with development.

Implications:

The persistent, audible SOAEs in these infants suggest a unique phenomenon possibly linked to spontaneous outer hair cell hyperactivity during early development.
This case series highlights the potential for SOAEs to manifest audibly in infants and provides valuable data for understanding their developmental trajectory.
Further research into the mechanisms and long-term implications of infantile SOAEs is warranted.