The use of a 56-stimulus train for the rapid acquisition of auditory brainstem responses

To further develop a multiple stimulus method for the rapid acquisition of auditory brainstem responses (ABRs), a 56-stimulus train was tested in mice. Stimuli in the train were tone bursts spaced at 0.5-octave intervals from 4 to 32 kHz. ABR thresholds, latency-intensity and amplitude-intensity functions were obtained using stimuli presented singly (one at a time) and using the 56-stimulus train. Responses from stimuli presented singly and those obtained using the 56-stimulus train were compared. There were no significant differences in thresholds (0.01 level) and very small differences in response latencies and amplitudes. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of multiple stimulus trains for the rapid acquisition of ABRs.