Eighth-nerve action potentials evoked by tone bursts in cats before and after inducement of an acute noise trauma.

Properties of eighth-nerve action potentials (AP) evoked by single-frequency tone-bursts (test tone) were studied in cats. Curves representing AP threshold as a function of test-tone frequency have a shape similar to behavioral and single-fiber threshold curves. The absolute level of AP thresholds is higher than that of behavioral and single-fiber thresholds. Cats were exposed to broad-band noise (equal intensities per octave) halfway into the experiments. This exposure resulted in a long-term temporary threshold shift (TTS) which remained fairly steady during the measurements. APs were measured before and during an acute noise trauma in the same animal. After inducement of the trauma the greatest threshold shift is found between 2 and 6 kHz. Curves representing AP amplitude as a function of stimulus SPL are displaced to higher stimulus SPLs. Sometimes the slope of the curve is steeper after the noise exposure than before. AP latency at threshold did not change due to the excessive noise exposure. AP-latency values compared at equal sound pressure levels before and after inducement of the trauma showed higher values during the trauma than before.