TRANSIENTLY EVOKED OTOACOUSTIC EMISSION AMPLITUDES CHANGE WITH CHANGES OF DIRECTED ATTENTION

The effect of a visual and of an auditory task on the cochlea was stud ied by transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs). TEOAE amplit ude decreased during visual and auditory attention for all 13 subjects tested. The decreased TEOAE activity was noted predominantly within t he 960 to 1920 Hz range during visual attention and within the 1920-28 80 Hz range during auditory attention. Selective attention, by way of the olivocochlear medial efferent system, modifies cochlear micromecha nical properties. Visual and auditory attention act on different areas of the cochlear partition.