Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Response-Evaluation of Hearing Loss

Abstract

This paper studies the effect of otologic disease on the Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER). Both conductive and neurosensory hearing losses are analyzed by plotting wave V latencies and amplitude as a function of sound intensity. It was found that BAER is elicited primarily by frequencies greater than 2000 Hz. Conductive hearing losses produce a latency-intensity function which approaches the norm with high decibel stimulation. Neurosensory losses produce a variety of latency intensity functions. In determining the degree of hearing loss, wave threshold is found to be the best index. Wave latency at high decibels is found to have little correspondence to degree of neurosensory loss ; wave amplitude is highly variable among subjects but still a useful indicator for detecting pathology.

This paper studies the effect of otologic disease on the Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER). Both conductive and neurosensory hearing losses are analyzed by plotting wave V latencies and amplitude as a function of sound intensity. It was found that BAER is elicited primarily by frequencies greater than 2000 Hz. Conductive hearing losses produce a latency-intensity function which approaches the norm with high decibel stimulation. Neurosensory losses produce a variety of latency intensity functions. In determining the degree of hearing loss, wave threshold is found to be the best index. Wave latency at high decibels is found to have little correspondence to degree of neurosensory loss ; wave amplitude is highly variable among subjects but still a useful indicator for detecting pathology.