Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 28, 2026
A Method for Tracking the Time Evolution of Steady-State Evoked Potentials
Published on: May 25, 2019
Desynchronisation of auditory steady-state responses related to changes in interaural phase differences: an objective
Charlotte Vercammen1, Astrid van Wieringen1, Jan Wouters1
1a Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Experimental Otorhinolaryngology , KU Leuven-University of Leuven , Leuven , Belgium.
Objective:
Binaural processing can be measured objectively as a desynchronisation of phase-locked neural activity to changes in interaural phase differences (IPDs). This was reported in a magnetoencephalography study for 40 Hz amplitude modulated tones. The goal of this study was to measure this desynchronisation using electroencephalography and explore the outcomes for different modulation frequencies.
Design:
Auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs) were recorded to pure tones, amplitude modulated at 20, 40 or 80 Hz. IPDs switched between 0 and 180° at fixed time intervals.
Study Sample:
Sixteen young listeners with bilateral normal hearing thresholds (≤25 dB HL at 125-8000 Hz) participated in this study.
Results:
Significant ASSR phase desynchronisations to IPD changes were detected in 14 out of 16 participants for 40 Hz and in 8, respectively 9, out of 13 participants for 20 and 80 Hz modulators. Desynchronisation and restoration of ASSR phase took place significantly faster for 80 Hz than for 40 and 20 Hz.
Conclusions:
ASSR desynchronisation to IPD changes was successfully recorded using electroencephalography. It was feasible for 20, 40 and 80 Hz modulators and could be an objective tool to assess processing of changes in binaural information.
