Digital music exposure reliably induces temporary threshold shift in normal-hearing human subjects

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Otoprotection
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Evaluating otoprotective agents requires real-world clinical relevance.
• Digital music exposure paradigms are needed to study temporary threshold shift (TTS).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a real-world digital music exposure protocol.
• To reliably induce TTS in normal-hearing human subjects for clinical trial development.

Main Methods:

• Thirty-three subjects listened to rock or pop music for 4 hours.
• In-ear exposure levels ranged from 93-102 dBA.
• Audiograms and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were measured before and after exposure.

Main Results:

• TTS was reliably detected at higher sound exposure levels (98-102 dBA).
• Audiometric threshold changes showed a notch configuration, peaking at 4 kHz.
• Complete recovery of hearing thresholds and DPOAEs was observed within 1 week.

Conclusions:

• Digital music player use can cause temporary auditory function changes.
• Controlled music exposure data are crucial for designing human clinical trials for otoprotective agents.
• Potential TTS study subjects should be informed of risks, including possible neural degeneration seen in animal models.