title: Influence of electrode position on near-threshold recording of auditory evoked brainstem potentials.
abstract: Use of brainstem potentials in audiology is based on identifying a response in the near-threshold range. Wave V has turned out to be the component of the brainstem potentials that can be detected with a great deal of reliability when assessment of the threshold for the particular stimulus is desirable. As the detection of Wave I can be dispensed within audiologic diagnosis, the question arises as to whether or not a non-cephalic reference electrode compared to the common lateral position of the reference electrode on the ipsilateral mastoid produces a more stable Wave V of increased amplitude. In a group of 20 normal-hearing adults, near-threshold stimulation with clicks was conducted and the brainstem potentials recorded simultaneously with the reference electrode placed in four different locations (ipsilateral mastoid, contralateral mastoid, non-cephalic electrode, and ipsilateral earlobe). At all of the three intensities studied (10 dB nHL, 20 dB nHL and 30 dB nHL), recording with the non-cephalic reference yielded the highest amplitudes, the finding being statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Audiology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany. joachim.pethe@medizin.uni-magdeburg.de
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pethe
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mühler
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Specht
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D004566:Electrodes; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male