Towards effective assessment of normal hearing function from ABR using a time-variant sweep-tone stimulus approach

Abstract

Objective. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) audiometry is a means of assessing the functional status of the auditory neural pathway in the clinic. The conventional click ABR test lacks good neural synchrony and it mainly evaluates high-frequency hearing while the common tone-burst ABR test only detects hearing loss of a certain frequency at a time. Additionally, the existing chirp stimuli are designed based on average data of cochlear characteristics, ignoring individual differences amongst subjects. Approach. Therefore, this study designed a new stimulus approach based on a sweep-tone concept with a time variant and spectrum characteristics that could be customized based on an individual’s cochlear characteristics. To validate the efficiency of the proposed method, we compared its performance with the click and tone-bursts using ABR recordings from 11 normal-hearing adults. Main results. Experimental results showed that the proposed sweep-tone ABR achieved a higher amplitude compared with those elicited by the click and tone-bursts. When the stimulus level or rate was varied, the sweep-tone ABR consistently elicited a larger response than the corresponding click ABR. Moreover, the sweep-tone ABR appeared earlier than the click ABR under the same conditions. Specifically, the mean wave V peak-to-peak amplitude of the sweep-tone ABR was 1.3 times that of the click ABR at 70 dB nHL (normal hearing level) and a rate of 20 s−1, in which the former saved 40% of test time. Significance. In summary, the proposed sweep-tone approach is found to be more efficient than the traditional click and tone-burst in eliciting ABR.

L-type calcium channel blockade with verapamil prevents noise induced neuronal dys-synchrony

“…Auditory function can be assessed throughout the auditory pathway by analyzing individual peaks present in the ABR wave form (Bachmann et al, 2024;Chang et al, 2022;Jiang et al, 2021;Wood et al, 2019). For example, peripheral auditory function corresponds to the first peak (Wave I) of the ABR, present at about 2 msec from the onset of the stimulus (Chang et al, 2022;Wood et al, 2019).…”

“…Central auditory function has been correlated with peaks II-V of the ABR wave form. Specifically, the neuronal synchronous activity in the inferior colliculus can be assessed by analyzing peak V (Wave V) at approximately 6 msec from the onset of the stimulus (Bachmann et al, 2024;Chang et al, 2022;Jiang et al, 2021;Wood et al, 2019). Similar to the peripheral effects of noise over exposure, a loss of neuronal synchrony was observed centrally, as indicated by decreases in ABR Wave V amplitude at both 12 and 20 kHz.…”