Noise effective masking level for bone conduction of wide-spectrum short-duration signals in normal hearing adults

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this study is to determine the noise effective masking level (EML) and inter-aural attenuation (IA) for click and CE-Chirp signals presented though a Radioear B-81 to elicit the auditory brainstem responses in normally hearing, young adults.

Design and study sample

A total of 26 conveniently sampled adults (13 male and 13 female, aged 18–25 years; 52 ears), with pure-tone hearing thresholds not >15 dB nHL at octave frequencies from 250 to 8000 Hz, and subjective thresholds for the bone-conducted click and CE-Chirp not >10 dB nHL.

Results

At stimulus intensities of 30 and 40 dB nHL, the contralateral EML was 67.86 ± 0.78 and 77.80 ± 0.81 dB SPL (respectively) for the click and 72.11 ± 0.74 and 83.53 ± 0.78 dB SPL (respectively) for the CE-Chirp. At stimulus intensities of 30 and 40 dB nHL, the IA was 3.46 ± 2.34 and 3.38 ± 2.03 dB (respectively) for both the click and the CE-Chirp.

Conclusion

EML and IA values are reported for click and CE-Chirp signals presented at 30 and 40 dB nHL though a Radioear B-81 to elicit the ABR in normally hearing, young adults.

Keywords:

• Bone conduction
• CE-Chirp
• click
• inter-aural attenuation
• masking

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants from National Key research and development program of China [2020YFC2005200] and Open project National Clinical Research Centre for Otolaryngologic Diseases [202200010] and Capital’s Funds for Health Improvement and Research [no. 2022-1-2023].