# Assessing the Human Cochlea using Stimulus Frequency Otoacoustic Emissions (SFOAEs)

> **NIH NIH F32** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $85,306

## Abstract

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is an epidemic influencing the lives of 48 million Americans6. Current clinical
protocols to detect ARHL leave room for much improvement so that early diagnosis and intervention can be
achieved. One way to improve current clinical protocols is through the implementation of fast, objective, and
sensitive tests of cochlear function using tools such as stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions (SFOAEs).
SFOAEs are currently not utilized clinically, despite their potential for assessing the cochlea in a frequency-
specific manner and sensitivity to minor insults to the cochlea. Before clinical implementation of
SFOAEs can be pursued, three major gaps in knowledge must be addressed. First, the relationship between
SFOAEs and psychophysical measures of hearing must be thoroughly examined across the entire range of
human hearing. Second, the sensitivity of SFOAEs must be evaluated for detecting cochlear changes due to
developmental and aging processes. Third, using SFOAEs, cochlear contributions in functionally relevant
auditory deficits must be determined.
Recent findings suggest that SFOAEs may be more sensitive than behavioral thresholds to age-related
cochlear changes. However, a deeper examination is needed to determine how SFOAEs are influenced
during a critical period of human life, which shows early aging effects in distortion product OAEs. In
evaluating the potential of SFOAEs in the accurate and early detection of cochlear dysfunction due to ARHL,
the specific aims of this proposal are to investigate the relationship between SFOAEs and psychophysical
measures of hearing up to the highest measurable frequency (Aim 1), to examine the developmental and
aging effects of OHC function using SFOAE amplitudes and phase slopes (Aim 2) and to apply this
understanding to validate the clinical utility of SFOAEs in detecting OHC contributions to speech perception in
noise (SPIN) deficits (Aim 3).
In Aim 1, the relationship between thresholds derived from SFOAE input-output functions with those obtained
behaviorally will be evaluated. Additionally, tuning estimates derived from SFOAE phase slopes will be
compared to psychophysical tuning curves. In Aim 2, a cross-sectional investigation of cochlear function
across a significant portion of human lifespan (7 - 45 years) will be performed using both behavioral thresholds
and SFOAE amplitudes and phase spanning a significant range of human hearing (0.5 - 20 kHz) using state-
of-the-art calibration techniques. In Aim 3, SFOAEs as well as neural measures will be examined in
individuals with SPIN deficits. By addressing the aims of this proposal, the long-term objective to advance the
clinical applicability of SFOAEs for detecting age-related cochlear dysfunction can be pursued.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9987589
- **Project number:** 5F32DC017352-03
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Uzma Shaheen Akhtar
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $85,306
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9987589

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9987589, Assessing the Human Cochlea using Stimulus Frequency Otoacoustic Emissions (SFOAEs) (5F32DC017352-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9987589. Licensed CC0.

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