Otoacoustic emissions originate peripherally before neural encoding begins

Evidence

Another related effect due to damage to the hair cells is noise-induced tinni­ tus. Tinnitus is the name given to a condition in which the cochlea sponta­ neously generates noise, which can be tonal or random noises, or a mixture of the two. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 664 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

The three discussed kinds of emissions seem to be created by the same source, as can be deduced from several effects. One of these effects is that the minimal frequency distance between neighbouring spontaneous emissions, or between neighbouring maxima in the spectral composition of delayed emissions, are the same and amount to about 0.4 Bark, i.e. a little less than half a critical band. In this context, it may be interesting to realize that the reciprocal value of the delay time of the delayed evoked emissions is almost identical to this value of 0.4 Bark, as would be expected in linear circuits. Moreover, a spontaneous emission that has disappeared, has been measured as a relatively strong simultaneously evoked emission during the same day. Further, spontaneous emissions can also be measured as simultaneously evoked emissions, an effect that also indicates that the source of the three kinds of emissions may be the same. — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 309 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The four otoacoustic emission types are distinguished by whether and how they are evoked — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 246; Spontaneous and evoked otoacoustic emissions likely share a single source — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 309; OAEs reveal cochlear function through sounds emitted back into the ear canal (+1 more)

Related

• Spontaneous and evoked otoacoustic emissions likely share a single source (similarity 0.89)
• The four otoacoustic emission types are distinguished by whether and how they are evoked (similarity 0.88)
• Loud noise damage can make the cochlea spontaneously generate its own noise (similarity 0.87)
• Healthy ears continuously emit faint spontaneous sounds linked to frequency sensitivity (similarity 0.87)
• Tinnitus arises when the cochlea spontaneously generates its own noise (similarity 0.86)
• OAEs reveal cochlear function through sounds emitted back into the ear canal (similarity 0.86)
• The cochlea actively amplifies sound and emits echoes that reveal inner-ear health (similarity 0.85)
• Spontaneous otoacoustic emission frequencies are stable to within a fraction of a percent (similarity 0.85)
• Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions cluster near SFOAE fine-structure maxima but remain undetectable there. (similarity 0.84)
• Most human ears display synchronized spontaneous otoacoustic emissions when driven (similarity 0.83)
• Evoked emissions vanish exactly when the evoking tone becomes inaudible (similarity 0.83)
• Otoacoustic emissions are faint sounds generated by the cochlea that predict auditory function (similarity 0.83)
• Otoacoustic emission spectra show discrete energy maxima stable across sensation levels (similarity 0.83)
• Cochlear otoacoustic emissions measurably shift behavioral thresholds, selectivity, and loudness (similarity 0.82)
• Low-frequency sound can awaken silent inner ears to emit spontaneous tones (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• Spontaneous and evoked otoacoustic emissions likely share a single source #expands (0.75) — Professor Dr.-Ing. Hugo Fastl, Professor Dr.-Ing. Eberhard, Psychoacoustics- Facts and Models, 309
• Tinnitus arises when the cochlea spontaneously generates its own noise #qualifies (0.75) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 664
• OAEs reveal cochlear function through sounds emitted back into the ear canal #expands (0.72)