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Updated: Jul 4, 2026
Semi-Automated Analysis of Peak Amplitude and Latency for Auditory Brainstem Response Waveforms Using R
Published on: December 9, 2022
Effects of aging on brainstem responses to toneburst auditory stimuli: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study in
G Ter Haar1, A J Venker-van Haagen, W E van den Brom
1Department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. G.terHarr@uu.nl
Background:
It is assumed that the hearing of dogs becomes impaired with advancing age, but little is known about the prevalence and electrophysiologic characteristics of presbycusis in this species.
Hypothesis:
As in humans, hearing in dogs becomes impaired with aging across the entire frequency range, but primarily in the high-frequency area. This change can be assessed quantitatively by brainstem-evoked response audiometry (BERA).
Animals:
Three groups of 10 mixed-breed dogs with similar body weights but different mean ages were used. At the start of the study, the mean age was 1.9 years (range, 0.9-3.4) in group I, 5.7 years (3.5-7) in group II, and 12.7 years (11-14) in group III.
Methods:
In a cross-sectional study, the BERA audiograms obtained with toneburst stimuli were compared among the 3 groups. In a longitudinal study, changes in auditory thresholds of group II dogs were followed for 7 years.
Results:
Thresholds were significantly higher in group III than in groups I and II at all frequencies tested, and higher in group II than in group I at 4 kHz. The audiograms in group II indicated a progressive increase in thresholds associated with aging starting around 8-10 years of age and most pronounced in the middle- to high-frequency region (8-32 kHz).
Conclusions And Clinical Importance:
Age-related hearing loss in these dogs started around 8-10 years of age and encompassed the entire frequency range, but started and progressed most rapidly in the middle- to high-frequency area. Its progression can be followed by BERA with frequency-specific stimulation.
