Can ABR latency measures predict psychoacoustic performance?

Abstract

The possibility of a predictive relationship between an electrophysiological measure—the auditory brainstem response—and a psychoacoustic measure of the ability to discriminate interaural level differences was explored. Thirty‐seven subjects, from 15 to 51 years, participated in both parts of the study. Brainstem responses were simultaneously recorded in the vertical and horizontal derivations using both condensation and rare‐faction clicks at a rate of 21.1 per second at 70 dB nHL. Six measures, the absolute latencies of waves I, III, and V and their interpeak durations, were determined. A “same/different” procedure was used to measure the discriminability of noise bursts with interaural level differences of 1.5, 3, and 6 dB. The interaural difference which produced a 75% level of performance was determined from the resulting psychometric functions, and used in subsequent calculations. A predictive relationship was assumed if a significant linear relationship existed between any latency measure and psychoacoustic performance. Age and sex were included as variables. Fourteen ABR latency measures, primarily absolute latency measures, predicted or were predicted by performance on interaural level discrimination. Ear of stimulation was a key parameter of the predicted latencies. [Work supported in part by NIH grant ♯NS16396.]