Differential effects of mass-loading the eardrum and stiffening the middle ear on wideband absorbance.
J Acoust Soc Am
; 155(6): 3615-3626, 2024 06 01.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38833283
ABSTRACT
The current work investigated the effects of mass-loading the eardrum on wideband absorbance in humans. A non-invasive approach to mass-loading the eardrum was utilized in which water was placed on the eardrum via ear canal access. The mass-loaded absorbance was compared to absorbance measured for two alternative middle ear states normal and stiffened. To stiffen the ear, subjects pressurized the middle ear through either exsufflation or insufflation concurrent with Eustachian tube opening. Mass-loading the eardrum was hypothesized to reduce high-frequency absorbance, whereas pressurizing the middle ear was hypothesized to reduce low- to mid-frequency absorbance. Discriminant linear analysis classification was performed to evaluate the utility of absorbance in differentiating between conditions. Water on the eardrum reduced absorbance over the 0.7- to 6-kHz frequency range and increased absorbance at frequencies below approximately 0.5 kHz; these changes approximated the pattern of changes reported in both hearing thresholds and stapes motion upon mass-loading the eardrum. Pressurizing the middle ear reduced the absorbance over the 0.125- to 4-kHz frequency range. Several classification models based on the absorbance in two- or three-frequency bands had accuracy exceeding 88%.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pressure
/
Tympanic Membrane
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Ear, Middle
Limits:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Language:
En
Journal:
J Acoust Soc Am
/
J. acoust. soc. am
/
Journal of the acoustical society of america
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Country of publication: