Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
J Neurophysiol. 2021 Jun 1;125(6):2279-2308. doi: 10.1152/jn.00672.2020. Epub 2021 Apr 28.
This review addresses the putative role of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex in psychophysical masking and intensity resolution in humans. A framework for interpreting psychophysical results in terms of the expected influence of the MOC reflex is introduced. This framework is used to review the effects of a precursor or contralateral acoustic stimulation on ) simultaneous masking of brief tones, ) behavioral estimates of cochlear gain and frequency resolution in forward masking, ) the buildup and decay of forward masking, and ) measures of intensity resolution. Support, or lack thereof, for a role of the MOC reflex in psychophysical perception is discussed in terms of studies on estimates of MOC strength from otoacoustic emissions and the effects of resection of the olivocochlear bundle in patients with vestibular neurectomy. Novel, innovative approaches are needed to resolve the dissatisfying conclusion that current results are unable to definitively confirm or refute the role of the MOC reflex in masking and intensity resolution.
本文探讨了内侧橄榄耳蜗（MOC）反射在人类心理物理掩蔽和强度分辨中的推测作用。引入了一个解释心理物理结果的框架，以说明 MOC 反射的预期影响。本文采用这一框架，回顾了以下因素对以下方面的影响：1）短音同时掩蔽的前导或对侧声刺激；2）前向掩蔽中耳蜗增益和频率分辨的行为估计；3）前向掩蔽的建立和衰减；4）强度分辨的测量。本文根据耳声发射对 MOC 强度的估计研究以及前庭神经切断术后切断橄榄耳蜗束对患者的影响，讨论了 MOC 反射在心理物理感知中的作用的支持或缺乏支持。需要创新的方法来解决一个不满意的结论，即目前的结果无法明确证实或反驳 MOC 反射在掩蔽和强度分辨中的作用。
