Exploring the relationship between MEMR strength and auditory perceptual performance in individuals with clinically normal hearing

Individuals with clinically normal hearing often exhibit considerable variability in auditory perceptual skills, such as understanding speech in noise. This variability may arise from subtle neural deficits not detected by standard audiological assessments. One proposed physiological marker of such deficits is the middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR), which when reduced has been associated with noise exposure and tinnitus. Even among individuals without overt symptoms, MEMR strength varies widely, raising questions about its potential functional significance. This project aimed to determine whether MEMR strength is associated with individual differences in suprathreshold auditory processing. Participants completed a battery of perceptual tasks, including spatial release from masking, spectrotemporal modulation detection, gaps-in-noise detection, and amplitude and frequency modulation detection. The study also examined the influence of age, extended high-frequency (EHF) hearing, and lifetime noise exposure on MEMR strength. Preliminary analyses revealed no correlation between MEMR strength and hearing thresholds at standard or EHF ranges, suggesting that MEMR may reflect neural processing beyond basic audibility. Additional analyses are underway to examine its relationship with suprathreshold auditory processing abilities. These findings will help determine whether MEMR strength can serve as a reliable, noninvasive marker of early neural dysfunction and perceptual variability in individuals with normal hearing.