Influence of click polarity on the brain-stem auditory evoked response (BAER) revisited.
Brain-stem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) were recorded both to rarefaction and condensation click stimuli in 92 normal hearers and 78 patients with varying degrees of cochlear hearing loss (N = 340 ears). Frequency distributions of rarefaction minus condensation (R - C) latency and amplitude differences revealed clinically significant polarity effects in a substantial percentage of the patients studied. Bivariate plots of R - C latency and amplitude differences versus average high frequency hearing loss (PTA 3) demonstrated that the magnitude of the R - C latency and amplitude differences also seemed to be influenced by degree of high frequency hearing loss. Results are discussed relative to the phase-locking properties of the afferent auditory nerve fibers and the possible electrodiagnostic consequences of recording the BAER either to alternating or condensation clicks.
Schwartz
D M
DM
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia.
Morris
M D
MD
Spydell
J D
JD
Ten Brink
C
C
Grim
M A
MA
Schwartz
J A
JA
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D015834:Cochlear Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011930:Reaction Time