Abstract
ECoG and ABR recordings were performed on 22 young, normal-hearing persons, before and after exposure to fatiguing noise. Temporary Threshold Shift (TTS) of up to 35 dB at 4–6 kHz was induced by octave band noise with centre frequency at 2.8 kHz. The latency of waves I, III, V and ACAP (Auditory Compound Action Potential) and intervals between waves I-III, III-V, I-V and ACAP-V were analysed as functions of stimulus intensity in pre- and post-exposure recordings. In post-exposure recordings a threshold elevation, a significant increase of latency and unaltered intervals between the successive waves and ACAP were observed. It was concluded that the noise-induced auditory fatigue, measured as TTS, originates within the cochlea and is transferred to the auditory pathways. The great intersubject variability of the data obtained indicates that the TTS may be a useful measure of individual sensitivity to noise, but prognosis on the presumed Permanent Threshold Shifts (PTS) based on the evaluation of TTS would seem doubtful.