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Increasing Cognitive Interference Modulates the Amplitude of the Auditory Brainstem Response
K Jonas Brännström1, Wayne J Wilson2, Sebastian Waechter1
1Lund University, Clinical Sciences Lund, Division of Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Lund, Sweden.
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
|June 5, 2018
Summary
Cognitive interference, not overall cognitive load, affects auditory brainstem responses (ABR). Higher cognitive interference in adults with normal hearing correlated with reduced ABR wave V amplitudes, suggesting brainstem suppression of irrelevant information.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Neuroscience
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Background:
- Efferent pathways suggest cognitive control over auditory brainstem processing.
- Previous research on cognitive load's effect on auditory brainstem responses (ABR) yielded mixed results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if cognitive load, specifically cognitive interference, impacts ABR in adults with normal hearing.
- To explore the role of cognitive inhibition and sensory gating in auditory brainstem function under cognitive demand.
Main Methods:
- A within-subject repeated measures design was employed.
- Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were recorded from 20 young adults with normal hearing.
- A visual Stroop task was used to induce cognitive load and measure cognitive interference.
Main Results:
- No significant main effect of overall cognitive load on ABR wave V amplitudes was observed.
- Participants exhibiting higher cognitive interference demonstrated increased response times.
- Greater decreases in ABR wave V amplitudes were noted under cognitive load for individuals with higher cognitive interference.
Conclusions:
- Auditory brainstem response (ABR) amplitudes are not affected by general cognitive load but are modulated by cognitive interference.
- Increased cognitive interference may trigger brainstem mechanisms (cognitive inhibition/sensory gating) to suppress irrelevant sensory information.
- Reduced ABR wave V amplitudes under high cognitive interference suggest top-down control influencing early auditory processing.
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