Evoked response 'forward masking' patterns in chinchillas with temporary hearing loss.

Evoked response "forward masking" data were measured from the inferior colliculus of the chinchilla before and during a temporary threshold shift. The hearing loss was induced by a 2 kHz pure tone of 85 dB SPL presented from 5-8 days. The exposure elevated thresholds by approximately 35 dB at the mid frequencies, but had no effect on low frequency hearing. The exposure also altered the time course of the evoked response forward masking data. Time constants fitting the forward masking data increased by up to a factor of three at the frequency with the greatest loss, but remained within normal limits at the low frequencies where hearing was normal. The increase in the forward masking time constants became most noticeable once the hearing loss exceeded 25 dB. These physiological results are consistent with psychophysical forward masking data from hearing impaired listeners.