Histopathologic analysis of 131 human cochleae and the corresponding audiograms.

Loss of hair cells, neurons and strial atrophy quantified along the cochlear length.

Correlation between audiometric thresholds and cell type-specific damage.

Spearman's correlation was at most 0.7 and often below 0.5 (1.0 = perfect).

Human audiometric thresholds do not predict specific cellular damage in the cochlea.