Title

Some poststimulatory effects in the acoustic stapedius reflex: Monotic and dichotic stimulation

Author

Anthony T. Cacace, Syracuse University

Date of Award

1988

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Advisor(s)

Robert H. Margolis

Keywords

Monotic magnitude-intensity functions, Prior conditioning stimulus

Subject Categories

Speech Pathology and Audiology

Abstract

Two experiments were performed to study short-term poststimulatory effects in the acoustic stapedius reflex in five normal-hearing volunteers. In Experiment 1, monotic magnitude-intensity functions (MIFs) were obtained for a 20-ms test stimulus preceded by a conditioning stimulus varying in duration (20, 50, 100, 500 ms) and level ($-10$, 0, $+10$ dB re: stapedius-reflex threshold). The conditioner and test stimuli were separated by various interstimulus intervals (0, 20, 50, 100, 500 ms). Experiment 2 was similar in design except that fewer interstimulus intervals were used and stimulus presentation was dichotic.

Both experiments demonstrated that a prior conditioning stimulus produced significant increases in stapedius-reflex response magnitude. These poststimulatory increases in stapedius-reflex magnitude were characterized by complex interactions among stimulus variables with similar interactions occurring for both monotic and dichotic stimuli. A simple superposition effect of the responses to the conditioner and test stimulus does not account for the effect of prior stimulation since substantial increases in test-stimulus magnitude persisted after the decay of the conditioner response. These data suggest that the major effect of prior stimulation on stapedius-reflex magnitude occurs central to the first-order neuron in the stapedius-reflex arc.

Access

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Recommended Citation

Cacace, Anthony T., "Some poststimulatory effects in the acoustic stapedius reflex: Monotic and dichotic stimulation" (1988). Communication Sciences and Disorders - Dissertations. 8.
https://surface.syr.edu/csd_etd/8

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