Download PDF
Methods Inf Med 2014; 53(05): 364-370
DOI: 10.3414/ME14-01-0004
Original Articles
Schattauer GmbH

Extraction of Cochlear Non-linearities with the Bispectral Analysis

An Application to TEOAEs in Styrene-exposed Workers
E. Chiaramello
1   CNR IEIIT – National Research Council of Italy Institute of Electronics, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering, Milan, Italy
,
S. Moriconi
1   CNR IEIIT – National Research Council of Italy Institute of Electronics, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering, Milan, Italy
,
G. Tognola
1   CNR IEIIT – National Research Council of Italy Institute of Electronics, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering, Milan, Italy
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received:16 January 2014

accepted:22 April 2014

Publication Date:
20 January 2018 (online)

    Permissions and Reprints

Summary

Objectives: Transient Otoacoustic Emission (TEOAEs) are low intensity sounds generated by active mechanisms in the cochlea and elicited by broadband and short acoustic stimuli. TEOAEs are a quick, non-invasive, and very reliable measure to objectively assess the peripheral auditory system. In the current study, we present a recent technique to extract and evaluate non-linearities in TEOAEs, and apply it for the preliminary analysis of TEOAE recordings of a group of worker of a fiberglass manufacturing facility exposed to styrene solvent.

Methods: Bispectral analysis was applied to TEOAEs to extract the quadratic frequency couplings (QFCs) in TEOAEs. Amplitude of QFCs was calculated in a group of 7 styrene-exposed workers (14 ears) and compared with normative results obtained on normal hearing young adults.

Results: Difference in amplitude of QFCs were found between workers and controls. In workers, TEOAE non-linear components were found in the 1.5 – 4 kHz frequency range, whereas in control subjects they were found in a lower frequency region, ranging from 1 to 3 kHz.

Conclusion: The amplitude of QFCs highlighted differences in TEOAEs recorded among workers and controls.

Keywords

Bispectral analysis - cochlear non-linearities - otoacoustic emissions - styrene-exposure
 

  • References

  • 1 Kemp DT. Otoacoustic emissions, their origin in cochlear function, and use. British Medicine Bulletin 2002; 63: 223-241.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Probst R, Lonsbury-Martin BL, Martin GK. A review of otoacoustic emissions. J Acoust Soc Am 1991; 89 (05) 2027-2067.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Robinette MS, Glattke TJ. Otoacoustic Emissions: Clinical Applications. New York: Thieme; 1997: 4
    Google Scholar
  • 4 Bray P, Kemp DT. An advanced cochlear echo technique suitable for infant screening. Br J Audiol 1987; 21 (03) 191-204.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Bhagat S, Bass J, Qaddoumi I, Brennan I, Wilson M, Wu J, Galindo CR, Paglialonga A, Tognola G. Time-frequency analysis of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions in children exposed to Carboplatin chemotherapy. Audiol Neurootol 2013; 18 (02) 71-82.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Tognola G, Grandori F, Avan P, Ravazzani P, Bonfils P. Frequency-specific information from click evoked otoacoustic emissions in noise induced hearing loss. Hear Res 1999; 38 (05) 243-250.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Sisto R, Cerini L, Gatto MP, Gherardi M, Gordiani A, Sanjust F. Otoacoustic emission sensitivity to exposure to styrene and noise. J Acoust Soc Am 2013; 134 (05) 3739-3748.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Paglialonga A, Barozzi S, Brambilla D, Soi D, Cesarani A, Gagliardi C, Comiotto E, Spreafico E, Tognola G. Cochlear active mechanisms in young normal-hearing subjects affected by Williams syndrome: time-frequency analysis of otoacoustic emissions. Hear Res 2011; 272 (1-2) 157-167.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Paglialonga A, Fiocchi S, Del Bo L, Ravazzani P, Tognola G. Quantitative analysis of cochlear active mechanisms in tinnitus subjects with normal hearing sensitivity: time-frequency analysis of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions and contralateral suppression. Auris Nasus Larynx 2011; 38 (01) 33-40.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Chua KC, Chandran V, Acharya RU, Lim CM. Application of higher order statistics/spectra in biomedical signals-a review. Med Eng Phys 2010; 32 (07) 679-689.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Schack B, Rappelsberger P, Vath N, Weiss S, Möller E, Grießbach G, Witte H. EEG frequency and phase coupling during human information processing. Methods Archive 2001; 40 (02) 106-111.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Schwab K, Eiselt M, Schelenz C, Witte H. Time-variant parametric estimation of transient Quadratic phase couplings during electroencephalographic burst activity. Methods Inf Med 2005; 44 (03) 374-383.
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Khadra L. Al-Fahoum AS, Binajjaj S. A quantitative analysis approach for cardiac arrhythmia classification using higher order spectral techniques. IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering 2005; 52 (11) 1840-1845.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Shera CA. Mechanisms of mammalian otoacoustic emission and their implications for the clinical utility of otoacoustic emissions. Ear Hear 2004; 25 (02) 86-97.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Marchesi S, Tognola G, Paglialonga A. The bispectral approach for the analysis on non-linear cochlear active mechanisms in Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions. IEEE Trans Biomed Circuits Syst 2013; 7 (04) 401-413.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Tognola G, Paglialonga A, Chiaramello E. Bispectral analysis of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions to study factors influencing cochlear non-linearities: normative data in young adults. IEEE Sensors Journal 2013; 13 (09) 3249-3254.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Sliwinska-Kowalska M, Zamyslowska-Szmytke E, Szymczak W, Kotylo P, Fiszer M, Wesolowski W, Pawlaczyk-Luszczynska M. Ototoxic effects of occupational exposure to styrene and co-exposure to styrene and noise. J Occup Environ Med 2003; 4: 15-24.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Johnson AC, Morata TC, Lindblad AC, Nylon PR, Svensson E, Krieg E, Aksentijevic A, Prasher D. Audiological findings in workers exposed to styrene alone or in concert with noise. Noise Health 2006; 8: 45-57.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Morata TC, Sliwinska-Kowalska M, Johnson AC, Starck J, Pawlas K, Zamyslowska-Szmytke E, Nylen P, Toppila E, Krieg E, Pawlas N, Prasher D. A multicenter study on the audiometric findings of styrene-exposed workers. Int J Audiol 2011; 50: 652-660.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Zhou G, Giannakis GB. Polyspectra analysis of mixed process and coupled harmonics. IEEE Trans Inf Theory 1996; 42 (03) 943-958.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Nikias CL, Raghuveer MR. Bispectrum estimation: a digital signal processing frame work. Proc IEEE 1987; 75 (07) 869-891.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Sulkowsky WJ, Kowalska S, Matyja W, Guzek W, Wesolwski W, Szymczak W, Kostrzewski P. Effects of occupational exposure to a mixture of solvents on the inner ear: A field study. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2002; 15: 247-256.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 23 Triebig G, Bruckner T, Seeber A. Occupational styrene exposure and hearing loss: a cohort study with repeated measurements. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2009; 82: 463-480.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar