[Effect of age on otoacoustic emissions]

The aim of this work was to study the age-effect on otoacoustic emissions (OAE) (93 subjects, 166 ears). The results show that when age increases the presence of OAE by age group decreases as well as the frequency peak in spectral analysis. The OAE threshold increases with age. So there is an effect of age upon OAE. The effect seems linked with alteration hair cell loss and/or alteration of cochlear biomechanics.