Auditory brainstem responses in younger and older adults for broadband noises separated by a silent gap.
Wave V of the auditory brainstem response was measured to two 50-ms broadband noise bursts separated by silent gaps of varied duration (4, 8, 32, or 64 ms) for younger and older adults with normal hearing. All subjects had measurable wave V responses to the first noise burst. However, for the second noise burst, three of eight older adults did not have responses with gap durations of 4 and 8 ms, and one of eight younger adults did not have a measurable response with a gap duration of 4 ms. When responses were present for older adults, latencies were similar to those of younger subjects but amplitudes were smaller. These results suggest age-related deficits in gap detection at the level of the brainstem in a group of aged subjects with no threshold elevation. Results are similar to those of Boettcher et al. (1996) using an identical paradigm in young and aged Mongolian gerbils.
Poth
E A
EA
Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 39 Sabin Street, P.O. Box 250150, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. pothea@musc.edu
Boettcher
F A
FA
Mills
J H
JH
Dubno
J R
JR
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise; D011930:Reaction Time; D012016:Reference Values