The acoustically evoked potential with inverse tone burst stimulation compared to a model experiment

'Inverse tone burst stimulation' refers to a brief interruption of a continuing tone. Stimulation by such an interruption affects the form and amplitude of the evoked potential. In tone interruption two distinct potentials, an off-potential by the break, and an on-potential by restoring the tone, can be discerned. The amplitudes of these two potentials show approximately equal values with tone breaks less than or equal to 400 ms. The phenomena of super-position with the shorter tone breaks determine the overall acoustically evoked potential (AEP) curve shape as a function of the duration of the break. Model experiments were carried out in which an averaged potential was being time-shifted by different amounts and added to the same potential which, however, was not being time-shifted. These model experiments simulated the phenomena of superposition and brought forth a lucid explanation.