X. Perrot et al., Stronger bilateral efferent influences on cochlear biomechanical activity in musicians than in non-musicians, NEUROSCI L, 262(3), 1999, pp. 167-170
The auditory sensory end organ is under the control of the central nervous
system via efferent projections. Contralateral suppression of otoacoustic e
missions (acoustic signatures of the cochlear biomechanical activity) provi
des a non-invasive approach to assess olivocochlear efferent activity in hu
mans. Using this approach, the present study compared professional musician
s with musically-inexperienced subjects. The results revealed stronger bila
teral cochlear suppression, suggesting larger efferent influences in both e
ars, in musicians. Furthermore, in indicating no difference in left/right a
symmetry of efferent-mediated suppression between the two groups, the prese
nt findings suggest that the observed differences in olivocochlear activity
reflect bilaterally-enhanced activity of the cortical auditory structures
in musicians rather than differences in cerebral hemispheric asymmetry betw
een the two groups. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reser
ved.