Brain stem evoked response (wave V) latency to filtered pulses

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Audiology
• Auditory Evoked Potentials

Background:

• Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) testing is crucial for assessing auditory pathway function.
• Understanding how frequency and intensity affect BAER components like Wave V is vital for clinical interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of varying sound frequencies and intensities on Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) Wave V latencies.
• To quantify changes in Wave V latency and amplitude under different auditory stimulation conditions.

Main Methods:

• Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses (BAERs) were recorded in 7 normal-hearing adults (20-29 years).
• Stimuli consisted of filtered pulses (.25 to 6.3 kc/s) presented monaurally at 10/sec.
• Stimulus intensities ranged from 20 to 50 dB HL, with Wave V latencies measured from waveform compression.

Main Results:

• BAERs were successfully extracted across most frequency and intensity combinations.
• A significant systematic increase in Wave V latency was observed with decreasing frequency and intensity.
• Waveform amplitude was depressed at lower frequencies and intensities; responses were unrecoverable at 20 dB HL for .25 and .5 kc/s in some participants.

Conclusions:

• Lower sound frequencies and intensities systematically prolong Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) Wave V latency in normal-hearing individuals.
• These latency shifts and amplitude depressions provide normative data for auditory pathway assessment.
• Findings are consistent with established knowledge regarding auditory evoked potentials and hearing thresholds.