Postexposure Responsiveness in the Auditory System. I. Immediate Sensitization

Abstract

Human ears were stimulated by 3-min 65–90 dB sound-pressure level continuous tones, and postexposure thresholds for tones of lesser frequency were examined. In most cases, such procedures allowed demonstration of auditory sensitization that was not preceded or succeeded by desensitization and that ran its course in the first postexposure minute. Such sensitization was noted at 200 Hz following certain 500-Hz exposure tones, and at 2000 Hz following certain 3000-Hz exposure tones. The magnitude and duration of the phenomenon seemed dependent on exposure tone intensity.