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Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Disrupted fundamental frequency encoding in sensorineural hearing loss revealed by the frequency-following response
Laura Jacxsens1, Lana Biot2, Tinne Vandenbroeke2
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Edegem, Belgium; Department of Translational Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Objectives:
The frequency-following response (FFR) is a scalp-recorded auditory evoked potential that reflects subcortical and cortical encoding of speech through neural phase-locking to its spectro-temporal features. Previous research on the influence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) on the FFR has been inconsistent, with a tendency towards smaller spectral amplitudes at the fundamental frequency (F0), however often limited by small samples, use of short stimuli that prevent proper phase locking, and poor control for audibility.
Methods:
Seventy adults (18-65 years) with normal hearing or various degrees of SNHL were included. Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and speech-in-noise tests were performed. FFRs were recorded using the 217 ms /dao/ stimulus presented monaurally in three randomized blocks of 1000 trials each. Stimuli were calibrated to 60 dB above the mean PTA threshold (at 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz) or adjusted to maximum comfortable loudness level.
Results:
Significant correlations were found between the PTA and both the F0 response amplitude and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at F0 for the /o/ section of the stimulus (r = -0.341 and r = -0.438, respectively; p < 0.001). Stimulus-to-response cross-correlation, pitch error, and pitch strength for both /a/ and /o/ segments were also significantly associated with PTA. Most speech-in-noise tests correlated significantly with the SNR at F0 for the /o/ segment.
Conclusions:
Our findings demonstrate that SNHL disrupts subcortical encoding of the fundamental frequency, particularly in the /o/ vowel segment. These results highlight the potential of the FFR as an objective marker of auditory processing deficits associated with SNHL.
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