Effects of long rise time stimuli on the latencies of the slow V potentials

Tone bursts with 5, 250 and 500 msec rise time and 70 dB HL (ISO) intensity at the plateau were used to evoke the slow V potentials in ten adults. The mean prolongations of the latencies have been determined and correlated with the subjective auditory thresholds, obtained before each test by conventional push-button audiometry. In normal-hearing subjects our results show a prolongation of the latencies of the slow V potentials when stimuli with longer rise time were used. In subjects with elevated auditory thresholds an almost linear correlation was found between the prolongations of the latencies and the subjective auditory thresholds.