Auditory Brainstem Response Thresholds to Air- and Bone-Conducted CE-Chirps in Neonates and Adults

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds to air- and bone-conducted CE-Chirps in neonates and adults.

Method

Thirty-two neonates with no physical or neurologic challenges and 20 adults with normal hearing participated. ABRs were acquired with a starting intensity of 30 dB normal hearing level (nHL). The lowest stimulus intensity level at which a wave V was identifiable and replicable was considered the ABR threshold.

Results

ABR thresholds to air-conducted CE-Chirps were 9.8 dB nHL for neonates and adults. ABR thresholds to bone-conducted CE-Chirps were 3.8 and 13.8 dB nHL for neonates and adults, respectively. The difference in ABR thresholds to bone-conducted CE-Chirps was significantly different (p p ² = .45). Adults had significantly larger wave V amplitudes to air- (p p ² = .50) and bone-conducted (p = .013, η_p² = .15) CE-Chirps at a stimulus intensity of 30 dB nHL. At the same intensity, adults evidenced significantly shorter wave V latencies (p p ² = .49) only with air-conducted CE-chirps.

Conclusion

The difference in ABR thresholds and wave V latencies to air- and bone-conducted CE-Chirps between neonates and adults may be attributed to a disparity in effective signal delivery to the cochlea.

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