Effect of eye lateralization on contralateral suppression of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions Effetto della lateralizzazione oculare sulla soppressione controlaterale delle emissioni otoacustiche evocate transienti

SummAry Several studies have previously demonstrated that postural changes modify evoked otoacoustic emission. in order to evaluate a possible interaction between eye muscles and ciliated cells in the inner ear, we studied the effects of eye lateralization on the contralateral suppression of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEo AEs). Thirty-eight normal hearing subjects with TEo AEs were recruited. Their TEA oEs at threshold level were recorded with contralateral suppression (white noise) via straight ahead fixation and right or left lateral fixation. Eye lateralization in the same direction of the white noise significantly decreased the suppression at 4 khz (p = 0.003). The signal-to-noise ratio in the suppression condition with straight ahead was 1.54 (± 4.610) dB, while the ratio was 3.48 (± 4.631) dB in the suppression condition with gaze toward the white noise. Eye lateralization seems to reduce the contralateral suppression effect of TEo AEs at 4 khz. however, further studies are necessary to investigate the possible mechanisms of this phenomenon.