Although electrophysiological methods of measuring the hearing sensitivity of pinnipeds are not yet as refined as those for dolphins and porpoises, they appear to be a promising supplement to traditional psychophysical procedures. In order to further standardize electrophysiological methods with pinnipeds, a within-subject comparison of psychophysical and auditory steady-state response (ASSR) measures of aerial hearing sensitivity was conducted with a 1.5-yr-old California sea lion. The psychophysical audiogram was similar to those previously reported for otariids, with a U-shape, and thresholds near 10 dB re 20 μPa at 8 and 16 kHz. ASSR thresholds measured using both single and multiple simultaneous amplitude-modulated tones closely reproduced the psychophysical audiogram, although the mean ASSR thresholds were elevated relative to psychophysical thresholds. Differences between psychophysical and ASSR thresholds were greatest at the low- and high-frequency ends of the audiogram. Thresholds measured using the multiple ASSR method were not different from those measured using the single ASSR method. The multiple ASSR method was more rapid than the single ASSR method, and allowed for threshold measurements at seven frequencies in less than 20 min. The multiple ASSR method may be especially advantageous for hearing sensitivity measurements with otariid subjects that are untrained for psychophysical procedures.
REFERENCES
1.
Amos
, D. E.
, and Koopmans
, L. H.
(1963
). Tables of the Distribution of the Coefficient of Coherence for Stationary Bivariate Gaussian Processes
(Sandia Corporation
, Livermore, CA
), 328
p.2.
Babushina
, E. S.
, Zaslavsky
, G. L.
, and Yurkevich
, L. I.
(1991
). “Air and underwater hearing of the northern fur seal—Audiograms and auditory frequency discrimination
,” Biofizika
36
, 904
–907
.3.
Brillinger
, D. R.
(1978
). “A note on the estimation of evoked response
,” Biol. Cybern.
31
, 141
–144
.4.
Bullock
, T. H.
, Ridgway
, S. H.
, and Nobuo
, S.
(1971
). “Acoustically evoked potentials in midbrain auditory structures in sea lions (pinnipedia)
,” Z. Vergl. Physiol.
74
, 372
–387
.5.
Cohen
, L. T.
, Rickards
, F. W.
, and Clark
, G. M.
(1991
). “A comparison of steady-state evoked potentials to modulated tones in awake and sleeping humans
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
90
, 2467
–2479
.6.
Cook
, M. L. H.
, Varela
, R. A.
, Goldstein
, J. D.
, McCulloch
, S. D.
, Bossart
, G. D.
, Finneran
, J. J.
, Houser
, D.
, and Mann
, D. A.
(2006
). “Beaked whale auditory evoked potential hearing measurements
,” J. Comp. Physiol. A
192
, 489
–495
.7.
Cook
, M. L. H.
, Wells
, R. S.
, and Mann
, D. A.
(2006
). “Auditory brainstem response hearing measurements in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
116
, 2504
.8.
Cornsweet
, T. N.
(1962
). “The staircase method in psychophysics
,” Am. J. Psychol.
75
, 485
–491
.9.
Dobie
, R. A.
, and Wilson
, M. J.
(1989
). “Analysis of auditory evoked potentials by magnitude-squared coherence
,” Ear Hear.
10
, 2
–13
.10.
Dobie
, R. A.
, and Wilson
, M. J.
(1996
). “A comparison of t test, F test, and coherence methods of detecting steady-state auditory-evoked potentials, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, or other sinusoids
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
100
, 2236
–2246
.11.
Elberling
, C.
, and Wahlgreen
, O.
(1985
). “Estimation of auditory brainstem response, ABR, by means of Bayesian inference
,” Scand. Audiol.
14
, 89
–96
.12.
Finneran
, J. J.
(2003
). An Integrated Computer-controlled System for Marine Mammal Auditory Testing
(SSC San Diego
, San Diego, CA
), 102
p.13.
Finneran
, J. J.
(2008
). Evoked Response Study Tool (EVREST) User’s Guide
(SSC San Diego
, San Diego
), 103
p.14.
Finneran
, J. J.
(2009
). “Evoked Response Study Tool (EVREST): A portable, rugged system for single and multiple auditory evoked potential measurements
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
126
, 491
–500
.15.
Finneran
, J. J.
, and Houser
, D. S.
(2007
). “Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) steady-state evoked responses to multiple simultaneous sinusoidal amplitude modulated tones
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
121
, 1775
–1782
.16.
Finneran
, J. J.
, Houser
, D. S.
, Blasko
, D.
, Hicks
, C.
, Hudson
, J.
, and Osborn
, M.
(2008
). “Estimating bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) hearing thresholds from single and multiple simultaneous auditory evoked potentials
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
123
, 542
–551
.17.
Finneran
, J. J.
, Houser
, D. S.
, and Schlundt
, C. E.
(2007
). “Objective detection of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) steady-state auditory evoked potentials in response to AM/FM tones
,” Aquat. Mamm.
33
, 43
–54
.18.
Finneran
, J. J.
, Houser
, D. S.
, Mase-Guthrie
, B.
, Ewing
, R.Y.
, and Lingenfelser
, R.G.
(2009
). “Auditory evoked potentials in a stranded Gervais’ beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus)
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
126
, 484
–490
.19.
Haulena
, M.
, and Heath
, R. B.
(2001
). “Marine mammal anesthesia
,” in Marine Mammal Medicine
, edited by L. A.
Dierauf
and F. M. D.
Gulland
(CRC Press
, Boca Raton
), pp. 655
–688
.20.
Hemilä
, S.
, Nummela
, S.
, Berta
, A.
, and Reuter
, T.
(2006
). “High-frequency hearing in phocid and otariid pinnipeds: An interpretation based on inertial and cochlear constraints (L)
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
120
, 3463
–3466
.21.
Houser
, D. S.
, and Finneran
, J. J.
(2006
). “Variation in the hearing sensitivity of a dolphin population obtained through the use of evoked potential audiometry
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
120
, 4090
–4099
.22.
Houser
, D. S.
, Gomez-Rubio
, A.
, and Finneran
, J. J.
(2008
). “Evoked potential audiometry of 13 Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gilli)
,” Marine Mammal Sci.
24
, 28
–41
.23.
John
, M. S.
, Dimitrijevic
, A.
, and Picton
, T. W.
(2002a
). “Auditory steady-state responses to exponential modulation envelopes
,” Ear Hear.
23
, 106
–117
.24.
John
, M. S.
, Dimitrijevic
, A.
, van Roon
, P.
, and Picton
, T. W.
(2001
). “Multiple auditory steady-state responses to AM and FM stimuli
,” Audiol. Neuro-Otol.
6
, 12
–27
.25.
John
, M. S.
, Lins
, O. G.
, Boucher
, B. L.
, and Picton
, T. W.
(1998
). “Multiple auditory steady-state responses (MASTER): Stimulus and recording parameters
,” Audiology
37
, 59
–82
.26.
John
, M. S.
, Purcell
, D. W.
, Dimitrijevic
, A.
, and Picton
, T. W.
(2002b
). “Advantages and caveats when recording steady-state responses to multiple simultaneous stimuli
,” J. Am. Acad. Audiol.
13
, 246
–259
.27.
Johnson
, C. S.
(1966
). Auditory Thresholds of the Bottlenosed Porpoise (Tursiops truncatus, Montagu)
(U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station
, NOTS TP 4178, China Lake
), p. 28
.28.
Kastak
, D.
, and Schusterman
, R.
(1998
). “Low-frequency amphibious hearing in pinnipeds: Methods, measurements, noise, and ecology
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
103
, 2216
–2228
.29.
Kastak
, D.
, and Schusterman
, R. J.
(2002
). “Changes in auditory sensitivity with depth in a free-diving California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
112
, 329
–333
.30.
Kuwada
, S.
, Batra
, R.
, and Maher
, V. L.
(1986
). “Scalp potentials of normal and hearing-impaired subjects in response to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated tones
,” Hearing Res.
21
, 179
–192
.31.
Levitt
, H.
(1971
). “Transformed up-down methods in psyhcoacoustics
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
49
, 467
–477
.32.
Lins
, O. G.
, and Picton
, T. W.
(1995
). “Auditory steady-state responses to multiple simultaneous stimuli
,” Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol.
96
, 420
–432
.33.
Lins
, O. G.
, Picton
, P. E.
, Picton
, T. W.
, Champagne
, S. C.
, and Durieux-Smith
, A.
(1995
). “Auditory steady-state responses to tones amplitude-modulated at 80–110 Hz
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
97
, 3051
–3063
.34.
Moore
, P. W. B.
, and Schusterman
, R. J.
(1987
). “Audiometric assessment of northern fur seals, Callorhinus ursinus
,” Marine Mammal Sci.
3
, 31
–53
.35.
Mulsow
, J.
, and Reichmuth
, C.
(2007a
). “Amplitude-versus-rate transfer functions to tone burst stimuli in the California sea lion Zalophus californianus
,” Bioacoustics
17
, 80
–82
.36.
Mulsow
, J.
, and Reichmuth
, C.
(2007b
). “Electrophysiological assessment of temporal resolution in pinnipeds
,” Aquat. Mamm.
33
, 122
–131
.37.
Mulsow
, J. L.
, and Reichmuth
, C.
(2010
). “Psychophysical and electrophysiological aerial audiograms of a Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus)
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
127
, 2692
–2701
.38.
Mulsow
, J.
, Reichmuth
, C.
, Gulland
, F.
, Rosen
, D. A. S.
, and Finneran
, J. J.
(2011
). “Aerial audiograms of several California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) measured using single and multiple simultaneous auditory steady-state response methods
,” J. Exp. Biol
. 214
, 1138
–1147
. 39.
Nachtigall
, P. E.
, Mooney
, T. A.
, Taylor
, K. A.
, Miller
, L. A.
, Rasmussen
, M. H.
, Akamatsu
, T.
, Teilmann
, J.
, Linnenschmidt
, M.
, and Vikingsson
, G. A.
(2008
). “Shipboard measurements of the hearing of the white-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris
,” J. Exp. Biol.
211
, 642
–647
.40.
Nachtigall
, P. E.
, Yuen
, M. M. L.
, Mooney
, T. A.
, and Taylor
, K. A.
(2005
). “Hearing measurements from a stranded infant Risso’s dolphin, Grampus griseus
,” J. Exp. Biol.
208
, 4181
–4188
.41.
National Research Council (NRC)
. (2000
). Marine Mammals and Low-Frequency Sound: Progress Since 1994
(National Academy Press
, Washington, DC
), 146
p.42.
NRC.
(2003
). Ocean Noise and Marine Mammals
(National Academies Press
, Washington, DC
), 192
p.43.
NRC.
(2005
). Marine Mammal Populations and Ocean Noise: Determining When Noise Causes Biologically Significant Effects
(National Academies Press
, Washington, DC
), 126
p.44.
Picton
, T. W.
, John
, M. S.
, Dimitrijevic
, A.
, and Purcell
, D.
(2003
). “Human auditory steady-state responses
,” Int. J. Audiol.
42
, 177
–219
.45.
Ridgway
, S. H.
, and Joyce
, P. L.
(1975
). “Studies on seal brain by radiotelemetry
,” Rapp. P.-V. Reun. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer.
169
, 81
–91
.46.
Schlundt
, C. E.
, Dear
, R. L.
, Green
, L.
,Houser
, D. S.
, Finneran
, J. J.
(2007
). “Simultaneously measured behavioral and electrophysiological hearing thresholds in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
122
, 615
–622
.47.
Schusterman
, R. J.
, Balliet
, R. F.
, and Nixon
, J.
(1972
). “Underwater audiogram of the California sea lion by the conditioned vocalization technique
,” J. Exp. Anal. Behav.
17
, 339
–350
.48.
Schusterman
, R. J.
, Southall
, B.
, Kastak
, D.
, and Kastak
, C. R.
(2002
). “Age-related hearing loss in sea lions and their scientists
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
111
, 2342
–2343
.49.
Southall
, B. L.
, Bowles
, A. E.
, Ellison
, W. T.
, Finneran
, J. J.
, Gentry
, R. L.
, Greene
, C. R.
, Jr., Kastak
, D.
, Ketten
, D. R.
, Miller
, J. H.
, Nachtigall
, P. E.
, Richardson
, W. J.
, Thomas
, J. A.
, and Tyack
, P. L.
(2007
). “Marine mammal noise exposure criteria: Initial scientific recommendations
,” Aquat. Mamm.
33
, 411
–521
.50.
Southall
, B. L.
, Schusterman
, R. J.
, and Kastak
, D.
(2003
). “Auditory masking in three pinnipeds: Aerial critical ratios and direct critical bandwidth measurements
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
114
, 1660
–1666
.51.
Supin
, A. Y.
, Popov
, V. V.
, and Mass
, A. M.
(2001
). The Sensory Physiology of Aquatic Mammals
(Kluwer Academic Publishers
, Boston
), 332
p.52.
Szymanski
, M. D.
, Bain
, D. E.
, Kiehl
, K.
, Pennington
, S.
, Wong
, S.
, and Henry
, K. R.
(1999
). “Killer whale (Orcinus orca) hearing: Auditory brainstem response and behavioral audiograms
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
106
, 1134
–1141
.53.
Wolski
, L. F.
, Anderson
, R. C.
, Bowles
, A. E.
, and Yochem
, P. K.
(2003
). “Measuring hearing in the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina): Comparison of behavioral and auditory brainstem response techniques
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
113
, 629
–637
.54.
Yuen
, M. M. L.
, Nachtigall
, P. E.
, Breese
, M.
, and Supin
, A. Y.
(2005
). “Behavioral and auditory evoked potential audiograms of a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens)
,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am.
118
, 2688
–2695
.© 2011 Acoustical Society of America.
2011
Acoustical Society of America
You do not currently have access to this content.