Effects of conductive hearing loss on temporal aspects of sound transmission through the ear

Effects of conductive hearing loss on level and spectrum are well known. However, little is known about possible additional effects on temporal aspects of sound transmission. This study investigated effects of earplugs and middle ear effusions on amplitude and timing of cochlear microphonic (CM) responses in gerbils. Bilateral CM responses to pure tones (1-16 kHz) were monitored before and after (i). unilateral earplug insertion or (ii). injection of silicone oil, of various viscosities, into one middle ear. Earplugs produced flat hearing losses (mean 13 dB) and delayed CMs more at lower (mean 80 micros, 1-6 kHz) than at higher (20 micros, 8-16 kHz) frequencies. Effusions also produced flat hearing loss. On average, high viscosity effusions produced larger hearing losses (36 dB) than medium (25 dB) or low (20 dB) viscosity effusions. Low and medium viscosity effusions delayed responses to lower (mean 82 and 65 micros respectively, 1-6 kHz) more than to higher (mean 20 and 10 micros respectively, 8-16 kHz) frequencies. High viscosity effusions produced smaller delays across all frequencies (mean 31 micros, 1-16 kHz). In normal animals, CM responses were not delayed over a wide range of stimulus levels. Therefore, in addition to attenuation, conductive loss distorts acoustic temporal cues important for hearing.