Approach to prediction of loudness discomfort levels using the frequency-specific auditory brainstem response

Abstract

ABSTRACT 9 EYLÜL UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY AN APPROACH TO PREDICTION OF LDLS USING THE FREQUENCY-SPECIFIC AUDITORY BRAINSTEM RESPONSE by Dr. M. Bülent Şerbetcioğlu This experiment was designed to establish an electrophysiological option for the measurement of Loudness Discomfort Level. One of the methods proposed for LDL estimation using the auditory brainstem response (ABR) relies on the click response parameters. In the present study, using frequency-specific ABR, an attempt was made to predict the LDL of the subjects. Frequency-specificity in the ABR was reviewed according to recent literature where it was emphasized that at high-intensities there is a limit to obtaining frequency-specific information in the ABR. The 16 adult volunteers who were tested all had hearing thresholds within 15 dB HL of audiometric zero. The ABR stimuli were 2 kHz tone pips with 2900 Hz high-pass masking noise. LDLs for 2 kHz tone pips were correlated with the ABR JV latency measurements. The slope of the latency-intensity function of JV latency at high intensities of the 2 kHz tone pips was decreased by increasing the intensity. The shifts in JV latency by increasing the intensity, yielded no statistically significant difference between the different LDL relative intensity levels.