The International Tinnitus Journal

A family with audible and non-audible tinnitus revealed by spontaneous otoacoustic emission recordings

Author(s):

Nodoka Adachi,Satoshi Asanuma,Naoko Imai,Toshiko Kamishima,Shinsaku Matsuda,Kimitaka Kaga,

Objective: Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs) are continuous signals that are generated in the cochlea despite the absence of external auditory stimulation. We studied SOAEs in a male infant with persistent and highfrequency audible tinnitus arising from the inner ear and in his family members (his parents and elder sisters) who have no symptoms. Method: SOAE, distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR) tests were conducted to objectively evaluate auditory functions. The patient was a one-year-old male infant with audible tinnitus and his parents and two elder sisters had non-audible tinnitus. For the last three years, their SOAEs were repeatedly recorded. Results: Seven SOAE tests performed over three years demonstrated positive peaks with the main peak at 5.3 kHz on the left side of the infant. His 42-year-old father, 5-year-old sister, and 7-year-old sister without objective tinnitus showed SOAEs, but his 38-year-old mother did not show any SOAEs. Conclusion: The results of frequent SOAE tests over three years suggested that the audible tinnitus in the infant and the non-audible tinnitus in the family members could have arisen from the spontaneous vibration of outer hair cells. However, a particular energy mechanism can cause the vibration of outer hair cells to produce audible SOAEs. Our study suggests the possibility of a familial inheritance of SOAE in this family. PDF