Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Elevation of auditory thresholds by spontaneous cochlear oscillations

N L Powers1, R J Salvi, J Wang

  • 1Department of Communicative Disorders & Sciences, Buffalo 14214, USA.

Nature
|June 15, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Inner ear sounds, or spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, can activate auditory nerve fibers, creating internal biological noise. This noise can impair hearing by overwhelming neural pathways, distinct from sensory cell damage.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[Tracking report on the follow-up diagnosis of patients with suspected occupational noise-induced deafness].

Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases·2026
Same author

Insulin Resistance-Varying Associations of Adiposity Indices with Cerebral Perfusion in Older Adults: A Population-Based Study.

The journal of nutrition, health & aging·2023
Same author

[Analysis of influencing factors of high-frequency hearing loss among male noise workers in an automobile manufacturing enterprise].

Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases·2021
Same author

[Combined effect of noise and hand-transmitted vibration on noise-induced hearing loss in the automobile manufacturing industry].

Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases·2020
Same author

[Analysis of common gynecological diseases in 1142 married female workers].

Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases·2019
Same author

[Effect of long-term low-concentration mixed benzene exposure on male peripheral blood in an automobile manufacturing enterprise].

Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese journal of industrial hygiene and occupational diseases·2019

Area of Science:

  • Auditory Neuroscience
  • Otoacoustic Emissions
  • Mammalian Hearing

Background:

  • The inner ear generates spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs), audible sounds.
  • Individuals are typically unaware of these internal sounds, posing a paradox.
  • Existing hypotheses suggest SOAEs may not reach the brain or are ignored as background neural activity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural impact of high-intensity spontaneous otoacoustic emissions.
  • To determine if SOAEs activate auditory nerve fibers.
  • To elucidate the mechanism behind the unawareness of internal ear sounds.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological recordings from auditory nerve fibers in Chinchilla laniger.
  • Stimulation and measurement of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of neural responses to SOAEs and external sounds.

    • Main Results:

    • High-intensity SOAEs were shown to vigorously activate auditory nerve fibers.
    • This activation acts as 'internal biological noise,' creating a 'line busy' effect.
    • Significant degradation in neuronal response to external sound stimuli was observed.

    Conclusions:

    • Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions can directly activate the auditory nerve.
    • This neural activation leads to a unique form of hearing loss, distinct from sensory cell damage.
    • The findings provide a new explanation for the paradox of unawareness of internal ear sounds.