Stimulation deafness: a study of hearing losses resulting from exposure to noise or to blast inpulses.

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Abstract
In the cat as in man, after exposure to wideband noise at high intensity or to explosive sounds such as produced by small arms fire, the frequency range for which hearing losses occur centers around 4000 cps and extends one or two octaves above and below this frequency depending upon the degree of exposure. When the hearing loss is permanent and severe, degeneration of sensory cells in the upper basal and lower middle turns of the cochlea may be found in post-mortem histological examination. When hearing losses are less severe (30 to 40 db or less), clear damage to sensory elements in the cochlea cannot always be detected. Some disruption of supporting cells of the organ of Corti may be found and the hair cells may appear slightly distorted and less well defined than in the normal ear. Complete recovery of hearing may occur in the cat after losses as great as 80 db; usually within 48 hr. or less. Evidence obtained suggests that there is considerable variability among animals in susceptibility to and recovery from temporary and permanent hearing losses which may be produced by intense acoustic stimuli.