Frequency dependence of the binaural interaction component of the auditory brainstem response

The frequency dependence of the binaural interaction component of the auditory brainstem response was examined. Subjects included 24 with normal hearing and 5 with severe high-frequency losses. Tone pips of 100 and 80 dB pe SPL at 1 000 and 4 000 Hz were presented monaurally and binaurally. The binaural interaction component was derived by subtracting the binaural response from the addition of the left and right monaural responses. The binaural interaction component was produced by both 1 000 and 4 000 Hz, although it was larger and more reliable with 1 000 Hz. The absence of responses to 4 000 Hz in cochlear-impaired subjects did not alter appreciably the morphology of the binaural interaction component to 1 000 Hz. The correspondence between the binaural interaction component and the masking level difference was not good.