Speech-evoked Brainstem Auditory Responses and Auditory Processing Skills: A Correlation in Adults with Hearing Loss

Abstract

Introduction The auditory system consists of sensory structures and central connections. The evaluation of the auditory pathway at a central level can be performed through behavioral and electrophysiological tests, because they are complementary to each other and provide important information about comprehension. Objective To correlate the findings of speech brainstem-evoked response audiometry with the behavioral tests Random Gap Detection Test and Masking Level Difference in adults with hearing loss. Methods All patients were submitted to a basic audiological evaluation, to the aforementioned behavioral tests, and to an electrophysiological assessment, by means of click-evoked and speech-evoked brainstem response audiometry. Results There were no statistically significant values among the electrophysiological test and the behavioral tests. However, there was a significant correlation between the V and A waves, as well as the D and F waves, of the speech-evoked brainstem response audiometry peaks. Such correlations are positive, indicating that the increase of a variable implies an increase in another and vice versa. Conclusion It was possible to correlate the findings of the speech-evoked brainstem response audiometry with those of the behavioral tests Random Gap Detection and Masking Level Difference. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between them. This shows that the electrophysiological evaluation does not depend uniquely on the behavioral skills of temporal resolution and selective attention.

The Frequency Following Response: Evaluations in Different Age Groups

“…Undoubtedly, the largest number of FFR studies have been performed using the Navigator Pro model from Biologic. Researchers tend to use this equipment together with the Intelligent Hearing Systems and SmartEP software [7,49,50].…”

“…One study aimed to assess the processing of auditory information in those with hearing loss through an evaluation of eight individuals, aged 46-58 years, with hearing loss [7]. FFRs (collected by SmartEP) were correlated with results from two auditory processing behavioral tests-the masking level difference test and the random gap detection test.…”

“…The Human Auditory System -Basic Features and Updates on Audiological Diagnosis and Therapy or selective attention [7]. Also seeking to correlate FFRs with hearing loss, Peixe et al [49] evaluated 11 individuals, aged 23-59 years, with moderately severe hearing loss.…”

“…Only a few studies have focused on FFR in the elderly, with the most reported population being young adults [54]. Some researchers have pointed to the clinical applicability of FFR in different populations and with different pathologies [7,19,37,55].…”

“…The need to develop research methods that are objective and accurately represent daily listening led to the development early this century of electrophysiological tests for measuring how speech sounds are perceived [1,2]. Subsequently, a number of research groups have focused their efforts on using complex stimuli such as speech for diagnostic purposes [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”