Effects of Stimulus Repetition Rates on the Auditory Brainstem Response to Level-Specific CE-Chirp in Normal-Hearing Adults

Investigating the Effects of Level-Specific CE-Chirp on Auditory Brainstem Response Waves in Normal Hearing Infants

Background

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) to the level-specific (LS) CE-Chirp has been reported to provide optimum neural synchrony along cochlear partitions, theoretically improving ABR waveform resolution. Despite this promising finding, limited studies have been conducted to contrast the results between LS CE-Chirp and Click stimuli. The current study aimed to compare the results of ABR between the two stimuli (Click and LS CE-Chirp).

Method

Sixty-seven normal-hearing infants, both with and without risk factors, aged less than 7 months old, participated in this study. The ABR test was conducted at 70 dBnHL using 33.3 stimulus repetition rates with both Click and LS CE-Chirp stimuli. The signal averaging was stopped at a maximum fixed signal average of 2,500 sweeps. Data were statistically compared between the two stimuli using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results

The waves I and V ABRs elicited by LS CE-Chirp exhibited significantly larger amplitudes than the Click stimulus. However, the amplitude of wave III and absolute latencies were similar in both stimuli at a supra-threshold level.

Conclusion

LS CE-Chirp has the advantage of larger amplitudes than the ABR from Click at the supra-threshold level (70 dBnHL) in normal-hearing infants.

Influence of Stimulus Polarity on the Auditory Brainstem Response From Level-Specific Chirp

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

No known studies have investigated the influence of stimulus polarity on the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) elicited from level-specific (LS) chirp. This study is important as it provides a better understanding of the stimulus polarity selection for ABR elicited from LS chirp stimulus. We explored the influence of stimulus polarity on the ABR from LS chirp compared to the ABR from click at 80 dBnHL in normal-hearing adults.

SUBJECTS AND PURPOSE

Nineteen adults with normal hearing participated. The ABRs were acquired using click and LS chirp stimuli using three stimulus polarities (rarefaction, condensation, and alternating) at 80 dBnHL. The ABRs were tested only on the right ear at a stimulus rate of 33.33 Hz. The ABR test was stopped when the recording reached the residual noise level of 0.04 µV. The ABRs amplitudes, absolute latencies, inter-peak latencies (IPLs), and the recorded number of averages were statistically compared among ABRs at different stimulus polarities and stimuli combinations.

RESULTS

Rarefaction polarity had the largest ABR amplitudes and SNRs compared with other stimulus polarities in both stimuli. There were marginal differences in the absolute latencies and IPLs among stimulus polarities. No significant difference in the number of averages required to reach the stopping criteria was found.

CONCLUSIONS

Stimulus polarities have a significant influence on the ABR to LS chirp. Rarefaction polarity is recommended for clinical use because of its larger ABR peak I, III, and V amplitudes than those of the other stimulus polarities.