Cochlear Microphonics and Recruitment

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Abstract
In this study, bilateral cochlear microphonics (CM) were evoked by tone burst simultaneously. A speaker was put in head-foot axis 2 m from the mid-point of a given line connecting the bilateral external meatus. Five normal persons and 68 cases (34 cases of Meniere's disease, 27 cases of sudden hearing loss, and 7 cases of low-tone sensory hearing loss without vertigo) with unilateral sensory hearing loss and recruitment, in addition to 2 cases of bilateral Meniere's disease with recruitment were examined. CM shifted in normal and hearing loss ears and was absent in profound and totally deaf ears. When recruitment was present, CM at corresponding frequencies were enlarged and prolongated in 60 cases. Some of the enlarged and prolongated CM decayed slowly, others quickly. Meanwhile the CM of the opposite normal ear decreased obviously. The presence of enlarged and prolongated CM may indicate an increase of abnormal excitability of the hair cells caused by some pathological stimulations. This would cause excitability of the hair cells in the opposite cochlea to be inhibited by the effect of the efferent system. In such a condition, the patients complained that the stimulating sound was heard louder in the disordered ear than that in the opposite normal ear. CM was slightly enlarged during sleep.