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Publication AbstractsEffect of Normobaric Hypoxia on Auditory SensitivityDougal B. Watson, M.B.B.S., D.Av.Med., Russell L. Martin, Ph.D., Ken I. McAnally, Ph.D., Sean E. Smith, B.A.(Hons), and David L. Emonson, M.Sc., M.B.B.S.Aviat Space Environ Med 2000; 71:791-7 AbstractPrevious psychophysical studies of hypoxia's effects on auditory sensitivity have provided mixed results but the weight of evidence supports the conclusion that sensitivity is unaffected by hypoxia. This conclusion is discrepant with that drawn from physiological studies in which hypoxia has been found to affect auditory-evoked response (AER) latency. One possible explanation of this discrepancy concerns the relatively low maximum frequency (8 kHz) for which hypoxia's effects were assessed in the psychophysical studies. We have extended the range of frequencies over which hypoxia's effects have been examined to include frequencies up to 16 kHz. Thresholds for 1-, 8-, 10-, 12-, 14- and 16-kHz tones were measured at levels of hypoxia equivalent to altitudes of 0, 1200, 2400 and 3700 m. Our results indicate that sensitivity for frequencies up to 16 kHz is unaffected by hypoxia. We suggest that AER latency does not provide a valid measure of auditory sensitivity.Keywords: hypoxia, auditory sensitivity, auditory threshold, hearing threshold. Information on subscribing, and on obtaining copies of an article or of an entire issue. Table of Contents for Volume 71, Number 8 of the ASME journal.
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