Efferent System Activation Using Contralateral Suppression of Distortion Product Oto-Acoustic Emissions In Individuals with Normal Hearing

Abstract

Efferent system can be activated using a non invasive technique named as contralateral suppression of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs). The present study was taken to estimate the amount of suppression noticed in three different age group (Young, middle & older) individuals in the age range of 17-70 years. The results of the study revealed that there are significant differences for distortion product otoacoustic emission amplitude observed between younger and older age group individuals in absence and presence of noise. However, similar differences were not evident between middle and older age group individuals. Further, there were differences in amount of suppression across different age groups only at 1.5 kHz and 2 kHz. Hence, present study highlights efferent system activation could be partially alike across different age groups.