Introduction to Audiology Practice Exam 2026 - Free Audiology Exam Practice Questions and Study Guide

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What do Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) primarily assess in the cochlea?

To assess central auditory processing

To evaluate speech understanding

To measure middle ear pressure

To assess outer hair cell function in the cochlea

OAEs are sounds produced by the cochlea, specifically by the motility of outer hair cells. When the cochlea is stimulated, outer hair cells generate energy that travels back through the middle ear and into the ear canal, where it can be measured as an otoacoustic emission. This makes OAEs a direct noninvasive indicator of outer hair cell integrity and overall cochlear status for the tested frequencies. If the outer hair cells are damaged, OAEs are reduced or absent, signaling cochlear dysfunction. OAEs don’t assess central auditory processing or speech understanding, and while middle ear status can affect OAEs, the primary cochlear-related information they reflect is outer hair cell function.