Investigating the effects of noise exposure on self-report, behavioral and electrophysiological indices of hearing damage in musicians with normal audiometric thresholds.

Investigating the effects of noise exposure on self-report, behavioral and electrophysiological indices of hearing damage in musicians with normal audiometric thresholds. Hear Res. 2020 Jul 02;:108021 Authors: Couth S, Prendergast G, Guest H, Munro KJ, Moore DR, Plack CJ, Ginsborg J, Dawes P Abstract Musicians are at risk of hearing loss due to prolonged noise exposure, but they may also be at risk of early sub-clinical hearing damage, such as cochlear synaptopathy. In the current study, we investigated the effects of noise exposure on electrophysiological, behavioral and self-report correlates of hearing damage in young adult (age range = 18-27 years) musicians and non-musicians with normal audiometric thresholds. Early-career musicians (n = 76) and non-musicians (n = 47) completed a test battery including the Noise Exposure Structured Interview, pure-tone audiometry (PTA; 0.25-8 kHz), extended high-frequency (EHF; 12 and 16 kHz) thresholds, otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), speech perception in noise (SPiN), and self-reported tinnitus, hyperacusis and hearing in noise difficulties. Total lifetime noise exposure was similar between musicians and non-musicians, the majority of which could be accounted for by recreational activities. Musicians showed significantly greater ABR wave I/V ratios than non-musicians and were also more likely to report experience of - and/or more severe - tinnitus, hy...
Source: Hearing Research - Category: Audiology Authors: Tags: Hear Res Source Type: research