Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Cochlear Surface Preparation in the Adult Mouse
Published on: November 6, 2019
Commentary on the regulatory implications of noise-induced cochlear neuropathy
Robert A Dobie1, Larry E Humes2
1a Department of Otolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio , San Antonio , TX , USA and.
Objective:
A discussion on whether recent research on noise-induced cochlear neuropathy in rodents justifies changes in current regulation of occupational noise exposure.
Design:
Informal literature review and commentary, relying on literature found in the authors' files. No formal literature search was performed.
Study Sample:
Published literature on temporary threshold shift (TTS) and cochlear pathology, in humans and experimental animals, as well as the regulations of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Results:
Humans are less susceptible to TTS, and probably to cochlear neuropathy, than rodents. After correcting for inter-species audiometric differences (but not for differences in susceptibility), exposures that caused cochlear neuropathy in rodents already exceed OSHA limits. Those exposures also caused "pathological TTS" (requiring more than 24 h to recover), which does not appear to occur with human broadband noise exposure permissible under OSHA.
Conclusion:
It would be premature to conclude that noise exposures permissible under OSHA can cause cochlear neuropathy in humans.
