Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions from normal human ears. Preliminary report.

The present paper resumes the results obtained from measurement of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs), in terms of rate of occurrence, frequency spectrum and intra- and intersubjective variability in 104 normal ears (52 subjects). SOAEs have been detected in 27 ears (26.0%) and in 16 subjects (30.8%); bilateral SOAEs have been observed in 11 subjects (68.8%). Frequencies of the strongest emissions ranged from 1 to 2 kHz (96.3%); amplitudes varied from 3 to 20 dB SPL above the background noise. Spectra were always very sharp and stable in frequency, less in amplitude. Present results agree well with the data available in literature.