D. Mcfadden, A SPECULATION ABOUT THE PARALLEL EAR ASYMMETRIES AND SEX-DIFFERENCES IN HEARING SENSITIVITY AND OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS, Hearing research, 68(2), 1993, pp. 143-151
Hearing sensitivity and the prevalence of spontaneous otoacoustic emis
sions show parallel ear and sex differences in humans. Here it is prop
osed that these lateral asymmetries and sex differences may all result
from differences in the 'strength' of the efferent inhibition deliver
ed to individual cochleas. Specifically, it is proposed that the amoun
t of efferent inhibition is relatively less in right ears and in femal
es than in left ears and males. While it is unclear why or how ear asy
mmetries or sex differences would develop in the efferent system, by a
ssuming that they do, one can begin to explain a number of basic facts
of hearing. It is even possible that the lateral asymmetry in the eff
erent system may be related to the well-known cortical asymmetries tha
t are believed to underlie speech perception, speech production, and o
ther human abilities.