Frequency spacing of multiple spontaneous otoacoustic emissions shows relation to critical bands: a large-scale cumulative study.

Multiple spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAEs), recorded in one ear, are not randomly spaced on the frequency scale. Extent and origin of spacing order, however, are not clear. Therefore, the raw data of all human SOAE surveys were pooled, and the intervals of all possible emission pairs in each ear were in total outlined according to size on a distribution diagram (n = 5245, for intervals up to 2/3 octave). Prevalence was increased for intervals between the benchmarks of 1 and 2 critical bands (CB). This CB-2CB range was further characterized by preference of intervals with low-order frequency ratios like 5:4 or 6:5, whereas outside CB 2CB there were no such effects. The results are discussed in the context of current knowledge of the origin of critical bands. Experiments are proposed that test the hypothesis of an influence of the olivocochlear efferents on SOAE spacing.