An investigation into the relationship between input-output nonlinearities and rate-induced nonlinearities of click-evoked otoacoustic emissions recorded using maximum length sequences.

The maximum length sequence (MLS) technique allows otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) to be recorded using clicks presented at very high presentation rates. It has previously been found that increasing the click presentation rate leads to increasing suppression (termed "rate-suppression") of the MLS evoked OAE (Hine, J.E., Thornton, A.R.D., 1997. Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions recorded using maximum length sequences as a function of stimulus rate and level. Ear Hear. 18, 121-128). It has been suggested that the source of rate-suppression arises from the same nonlinear processes that give rise to the well-known nonlinear growth of OAEs. Based on this assumption, a simple model of rate-suppression (Kapadia, S., Lutman, M.E., 2001. Static input-output nonlinearity as the source of nonlinear effects in maximum length sequence click-evoked OAEs. Br. J. Audiol. 35, 103-112) predicts that both input-output (I/O) nonlinearity and rate-suppression can be unified by characterising the stimulus in terms of its acoustic power which, at high rates, is proportional to the click presentation rate. The objective of this study was to test this simple model by recording MLS OAEs from a group of normally hearing adults over a range of stimulus rates from 40 to 5000 clicks/s, and of stimulus levels from 45 to 70dB peSPL. The results are broadly in agreement with the predictions from the model, though there appears to be some tendency for the model to slightly overestimate the degree of rate-suppression for a given degree of I/O nonlinearity. It is also suggested that the model may break down more significantly in the presence of spontaneous OAEs.

Nonlinear properties of otoacoustic emissions in normal and impaired hearing.

Click-evoked otoacoustic emissions (CEOAEs) exhibit nonlinearities in amplitude and time domains. The first objective of this study was to investigate whether there is any correlation between the temporal and amplitude nonlinearities of CEOAEs in normals. Additionally there is evidence that pathology affects the normal cochlear nonlinearity. The second objective was to investigate whether pathology affects the temporal nonlinear components. Conventional and maximum length sequence (MLS) CEOAEs were recorded in normal subjects and in patients with mild hearing loss. The slope of the input-output (I/O) function of the conventional CEOAE measured the amplitude nonlinearity. Two measures of temporal nonlinearity were the magnitude of the suppression that occurs with increase in stimulus rate and the amplitudes of the second and third order temporal interaction components (Volterra slices). The amplitude nonlinearity is well correlated with both the magnitude of the rate suppression and the amplitudes of the Volterra slices. The 'linear' CEOAE amplitude showed no differences between the normal and patient groups but the differences in the Volterra slices were substantial. This suggests that the first sign of damage to the cochlea is that the system becomes more linear. Hence the Volterra slices may provide a sensitive measure of cochlear damage.