Effect of the menstrual cycle on the auditory brainstem response

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Audiology
• Reproductive Endocrinology

Background:

• Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) reveal key aspects of auditory pathway function.
• Previous research indicates potential gender-based differences in auditory processing.
• The influence of the menstrual cycle on auditory neurophysiology remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if gender differences in auditory brainstem response (ABR) characteristics change throughout the menstrual cycle.
• To determine the relationship between menstrual cycle phase and auditory evoked potentials in normal-hearing adults.

Main Methods:

• Collected behavioral thresholds and auditory brainstem responses (ABR) to click stimuli in 17 normal-hearing adults (10 female, 7 male).
• Measurements were taken every other day across a complete menstrual cycle.
• Compared absolute behavioral thresholds and ABR parameters (latency, peak amplitude) between genders and across the cycle.

Main Results:

• Consistent gender differences were observed in ABR latency, peak amplitude, and behavioral thresholds.
• These observed gender differences in auditory evoked potentials did not systematically vary with the phases of the menstrual cycle.

Conclusions:

• Gender-specific patterns in auditory brainstem function are stable and not modulated by menstrual cycle hormonal fluctuations.
• Auditory neurophysiology, as measured by ABR, exhibits gender differences independent of the menstrual cycle in young adults.