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Evaluation of Cochlear Function, Hidden Hearing Loss, and Auditory Temporal Processing in Tinnitus Patients with
Emad Mahmoud Abo-Ollo1, Samir Ibrahim Assal1, HebatAllah Ismail Abdelmotaleb1
1Audio-vestibular Medicine Unit, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
Acta Otorrinolaringologica Espanola
|June 12, 2026
Summary
Tinnitus patients with normal hearing tests show underlying cochlear and nerve damage. Advanced audiological tests reveal auditory system dysfunction, crucial for diagnosing and managing tinnitus.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Otolaryngology
Background:
- Tinnitus often presents despite normal conventional audiograms.
- Subtle cochlear or neural damage may underlie tinnitus in these cases.
- Conventional audiometry may not detect all auditory system impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess cochlear function and the cochlear nerve in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms.
- To evaluate auditory temporal processing in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms.
- To identify subclinical auditory deficits associated with tinnitus.
Main Methods:
- Included 20 tinnitus patients and 20 healthy controls.
- Utilized extended high-frequency audiometry (EHF), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), and auditory brainstem response (ABR).
- Assessed auditory temporal processing using the auditory fusion test-revised and pitch pattern sequence test.
Main Results:
- Tinnitus group exhibited elevated EHF thresholds and reduced DPOAE amplitudes, indicating cochlear dysfunction.
- Reduced acoustic reflex responses and delayed ABR wave I latency suggested cochlear nerve/synapse involvement.
- Poorer performance in auditory temporal processing tests was observed in the tinnitus group.
Conclusions:
- Provided clinical evidence for peripheral and central auditory dysfunction in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms.
- Highlighted that these deficits are integral to tinnitus pathology.
- Emphasized the need for advanced audiological assessments for tinnitus diagnosis and management.
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