The acoustic reflex (AR) is an acoustically evoked contraction of the stapedius muscles in both ears by a loud sound presented to either ear. The AR test is usually performed following tympanometry to assess the function of the ear up to the brainstem region. The AR test together with pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, and speech audiometry form a basic battery of tests in an audiology clinic. It has wide clinical applications in identifying auditory dysfunction in humans.

Anatomy and Physiology of the Acoustic Reflex

The AR test involves the presentation of a pure-tone signal or noise stimulus to elicit a reflex response from the stapedius muscle in the middle ear. However, the reflex pathways in humans are not completely understood. Based on an animal model, the neural network ...

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