Noise-induced hearing losses. Can they be explained by basilar membrane movement?

The development of noise-induced hearing losses must in some way be related to the basilar membrane movement. Our analysis of this relationship is based on Mössbauer effect measurements of the basilar membrane movement in human temporal bone preparations. At a single basilar membrane position in each of seven preparations, the displacement frequency response was measured for a given sound pressure level at the ear drum. The measurements covered the place range 2.2--6.2 kHz. Despite the inadequacy of the experimental data, there seems to be no doubt that low frequency components contribute substantially to the displacement and mechanical strain of the hair cells near the 4 kHz location, where the hair cells are known to be most vulnerable to noise damage. In fact, the analysis performed indicates that these cells will suffer the greatest mechanical strain, almost irrespective of the spectrum shape of the stimulus noise.