Effects of posture and age on tympanic membrane displacement measurements

This study used changes in posture to investigate the transmission of cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) pressure changes to the cochlear fluids in subjects falling into two age groups. Results were obtained from 32 subjects: 16 aged 19 to 32 years and 16 aged between 40 and 63. Measurements were made with the subject sitting upright and then at 63 degrees to the vertical, using a technique which measures displacement of the tympanic membrane in response to acoustic stimulation of the stapedial reflex. Changes in such measurements are believed to represent changes in perilymphatic fluid pressure. Statistical analysis of the results showed the magnitude of changes in Tympanic Membrane Displacement (TMD) measurements with postural change to be smaller in the older group than in the younger age group. In addition, a larger proportion of the older subjects showed no change in TMD measurements with change in posture. The proportion of subjects in each age group who showed no change in TMD measurements with change in posture was similar to the proportion of temporal bones of subjects of similar ages that had non-patent cochlear aqueducts as determined by a previous histopathological study. Audiometric testing revealed a link between hearing threshold and presumed patency of the communication routes between cochlear and cranial fluids. The magnitude of the tympanic membrane displacement was found to decrease with age in agreement with previous studies showing decrease of stapedial reflex magnitude with increasing age. It is suggested that the communication between cochlear and cranial fluids may be important in the pathogenesis of auditory dysfunction in several patient groups.