Acoustic reflex amplitude. II. Effect of age-related auditory dysfunction.

Crossed and uncrossed acoustic reflex amplitude was measured in 99 adult subjects. Minor middle ear dysfunction profoundly influenced acoustic reflex amplitude. Reflex amplitude in subjects with minor impedance abnormality was, on the average, decreased by 68% in comparison to a matched control group. There was a complex relationship among age, sensorineural hearing loss, signal bandwidth and acoustic reflex amplitude. Sensorineural hearing loss differentially influenced acoustic reflex amplitude for young versus older subjects.