Distortion product otoacoustic emissions: A tool for hearing assessment and scientific study

Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) reflect outer hair cell integrity and cochlear function. When used appropriately in the audiology clinic, they are an effective diagnostic tool and can detect hearing loss with accuracy. DPOAEs are easily and rapidly recorded in newborns and children, and provide basic hearing screening information as well as detailed diagnostic information in cases of suspected hearing loss. In the past decade, solid guidelines have been established to select the most effective recording parameters, thereby optimizing the DPOAE's diagnostic potential. DPOAEs also provide hearing scientists with a frequency-specific and noninvasive probe of the cochlea and cochlear amplifier function. Sophisticated and complex DPOAE-based experimental paradigms have been developed and applied to address scientific questions about cochlear function in humans. One such paradigm, DPOAE ipsilateral suppression, has been used effectively in our laboratory to study the maturation of cochlear function in newborns. Because of its proven accuracy as a clinical tool for the detection of hearing loss and its extensive use as a scientific tool for cochlear exploration, DPOAEs are likely to enjoy continued popularity and application in both the audiology clinic and the hearing science laboratory.