Noise-induced hearing loss begins with impairment of outer hair cells

Evidence

Three rows of outer hair cells and one row of inner hair cells line the length of the cochlea. The outer hair cells are responsible for enhancing the vibration on the basilar membrane, particularly at low levels, sharpening the tuning of the vibration on the basilar membrane, and compressing the range of vibration represented by the basilar membrane. These hair cells lead to the mammalian ability to hear very low level sounds, and loss of these hair cells can cause a reduction in hearing sensitivity up to about 60 dB (Sellick et al., 1982). — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 228 (#expands, via linked claim)

For a sensorineural impairment, the type of attenuation depends on whether the inner or outer hair cells are damaged. If the inner hair cells are damaged, the attenuation is not dependent on the sound level. However, if the outer hair cells are damaged, the resulting attenuation of sound is more prominent at low input levels. This is because when the outer hair cells are damaged, the input-level-dependent amplification provided by them does not function properly. Consequently, loud sounds may be heard normally, but quiet sounds are attenuated. This phenomenon is called recruitment. Due to recruitment, a change in SPL translates into an abnormally large change in loudness. Moreover, the range of sound pressure levels from the hearing threshold to the loudness discomfort level is decreased. Consequently, dynamic changes in sound level are overemphasized, and sound is often perceived to be either too loud or too quiet. — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 2655 (#expands, via linked claim)

Loss of outer hair cells impacts the shape and slope of the basilar membrane I-O function in a way very similar to loudness growth functions measured in listeners with SNHL. This correlation and the presence of loudness recruitment in listeners with mild and moderate hearing losses, who presumably have predominantly outer hair cell loss, suggest that loss of outer hair cells contributes to loudness recruitment. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 851 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Outer hair cell loss reduces hearing sensitivity by up to 60 dB — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 228; Outer hair cell loss is the primary driver of loudness recruitment — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 851; Outer hair cell damage widens critical bands and worsens speech-in-noise — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 2670 (+8 more)

Related

• Outer hair cell loss reduces hearing sensitivity by up to 60 dB (similarity 0.92)
• Outer hair cell loss is the primary driver of loudness recruitment (similarity 0.91)
• Outer hair cell damage compresses dynamic range, causing recruitment and distorted loudness perception (similarity 0.91)
• Active outer hair cell processing boosts internal response levels by up to 40 dB (similarity 0.89)
• Outer hair cell damage widens critical bands and worsens speech-in-noise (similarity 0.89)
• Excess noise damages cochlear hair cells through several distinct mechanisms (similarity 0.89)
• Outer-hair-cell damage destroys the cochlea’s compressive nonlinearity, which hearing aids try to rebuild. (similarity 0.89)
• Outer hair cells respond better than inner hair cells to low-frequency sound (similarity 0.88)
• Mild hearing loss eliminates otoacoustic emissions but not psychoacoustic efferent measures (similarity 0.87)
• Severe hearing loss from inner hair cell loss reduces maximum loudness (similarity 0.87)
• Loud music damages cochlear structures in distinct ways producing distinct perceptual deficits (similarity 0.86)
• Outer hair cell damage removes cochlear compressive nonlinearity (similarity 0.86)
• Cochlear outer hair cells enable speech amid noise and reverberation (similarity 0.86)
• Outer hair cells sit where basilar membrane vibration is greatest (similarity 0.86)
• Outer hair cell damage steepens the basilar membrane’s growth function (similarity 0.86)

Broader Connections

• Outer hair cell loss reduces hearing sensitivity by up to 60 dB #expands (0.85) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 228
• Outer hair cell damage compresses dynamic range, causing recruitment and distorted loudness perception #expands (0.82) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 2655
• Outer hair cell loss is the primary driver of loudness recruitment #expands (0.80) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 851
• Outer hair cell damage widens critical bands and worsens speech-in-noise #expands (0.78) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 2670
• Excess noise damages cochlear hair cells through several distinct mechanisms #expands (0.75) — Ville Pulkki, Matti Karjalainen, Communication Acoustics- An…, 2647
• Noise-induced hearing loss first appears near 4 kHz as an audiometric notch #expands (0.75)
• Sensorineural hearing loss compresses the full loudness range into fewer decibels #expands (0.75) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 838
• Otoacoustic emissions non-invasively probe outer hair cell function in humans. #expands (0.72) — Dijk, Pim van, Physiology, Psychoacoustics and…, 3745
• Noise exposure and age produce distinct hearing-loss signatures #qualifies (0.72)
• Hidden hearing loss can impair speech in noise without raising thresholds #qualifies (0.72)
• Calcium oscillations in outer hair cells drive the hearing Bounce #expands (0.72)