Elevation of auditory thresholds by spontaneous cochlear oscillations

Abstract

The inner ear sometimes acts as a robust sound generator, continuously broadcasting sounds (spontaneous otoacoustic emissions) which can be intense enough to be heard by other individuals standing nearby. Paradoxically, most individuals are unaware of the sounds generated within their ears. Two hypotheses could explain this paradox: (1) the spontaneous emissions may not be transmitted to the central nervous system; or (2) the spontaneous emission produces a continuous, high rate of neural activity, which, like the natural pattern of spontaneous activity, is ignored by the central nervous system. Here we demonstrate that high-intensity spontaneous otoacoustic emission can vigorously activate auditory nerve fibres in mammals (Chinchilla laniger). This 'internal biological noise' creates a 'line busy' signal that significantly degrades a neuron's ability to respond to sound and results in a hearing loss completely different from that caused by damage to sensory cells.