Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Electrically Evoked Stapedius Reflex Measurements in Cochlear Implantation and Its Application in the Postoperative Fitting Process
Published on: June 21, 2024
Effect of increasing duration of stimulation on the electrically evoked auditory brainstem and middle latency
Taryn Davids1, Jerome Valero, Blake C Papsin
1Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery,University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario. taryndavids@hotmail.com
Objective:
Electrophysiologic responses used to predict behavioural stimulation levels in implant users are typically evoked with a single-pulse stimulus versus higher-rate pulse trains of longer duration. Unfortunately, electrophysiologic measures tend to overestimate behavioural responses. It may be possible to improve the predictive ability of evoked potential thresholds by increasing the duration of the stimulus. We asked if auditory brainstem and middle latency responses can be reliably measured using electrical pulse trains of increasing duration.
Design:
Evoked potential testing was performed in five pediatric N24RE cochlear implant users aged 7.6 to 14.9 years.
Setting:
Cochlear Implant Program, Cochlear Implant Laboratory, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.
Methods:
Responses were electrically evoked for durations of 2, 6, and 10 milliseconds by single pulses and pulse trains of 500 pulses per second.
Main Outcome Measures:
Evoked auditory brainstem response (EABR) and evoked middle latency response (EMLR) waveform latencies and amplitudes were compared between durations.
Results:
Clear and replicable EABRs and EMLRs were recorded for all durations. There was no significant change in EABR wave eV latency relative to the stimulus offset. There was no significant change in EMLR wave latencies relative to the stimulus onset. This was confirmed by a linear decrease in the interwave latency between the EABR wave eV and the EMLR wave eNa. No significant changes in wave amplitude were found as the pulse train duration increased for the EABR or the EMLR.
Conclusions:
EABRs are dominated by the stimulus offset, whereas EMLRs appear to be dominated by stimulus onset. Clear, unchanging EABRs and EMLRs indicated that electrophysiologic measures were a valid tool for increasing durations.
