The auditory steady-state response: full-term and premature neonates.
Two studies were aimed at developing the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) for universal newborn hearing screening. First, neonates who had passed auditory brainstem response, transient evoked otoacoustic emission, and distortion-product otoacoustic emission tests were also tested with ASSRs using modulated tones that varied in frequency and level. Pass rates were highest (> 90%) for amplitude-modulated tones presented at levels > or = 69 dB SPL. The effect of modulation frequency on ASSR for 500- and 2000-Hz tones was evaluated in full-term and premature infants in the second study. Full-term infants had higher pass rates for 2000-Hz tones amplitude modulated at 74 to 106 Hz compared with pass rates for a 500-Hz tone modulated at 58 to 90 Hz. Premature infants had lower pass rates than full-term infants for both carrier frequencies. Systematic investigation of ASSR threshold and the effect of modulation frequency in neonates is needed to adapt the technique for screening.
Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA.
Barbara
B
Cone-Wesson
John
J
Parker
Nina
N
Swiderski
Field
F
Rickards
D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology