title: Are speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (speech-ABR) outcomes influenced by ethnicity?
abstract: Due to its objective nature, auditory brainstem response (ABR) evoked by complex stimuli has been gaining attention lately. The present study aimed to compare the speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (speech-ABR) results between two ethnic groups: Malay and Chinese. In addition, it was also of interest to compare the speech-ABR outcomes obtained from the present study with the published Caucasian data. Thirty healthy male adults (15 Malay and 15 Chinese) were enrolled in this comparative study. Speech syllable/da/presented at 80 dBnHL was used to record speech-ABR waveforms from the right ear of each subject. Amplitudes and latencies of speech-ABR peaks (V, A, C, D, E, F and O), as well as composite onset measures (V/A duration, V/A amplitude and V/A slope) were computed and analyzed. When the two ethnic groups were compared, all speech-ABR results were not statistically different from each other (p > 0.05). When the data from the present study were compared with the published Caucasian data, most of the statistical analyses were significant (p < 0.05). That is, Asian subjects revealed significantly higher peak amplitudes, earlier peak latencies, higher V/A amplitudes and steeper V/A slopes than that of Caucasians. The speech-ABR results between Malay and Chinese were found to be essentially similar due to anatomical similarities. Nevertheless, specific normative data for Asian adults are required as their speech-ABR results are different from that of Caucasian males. This issue should be addressed before it can be applied holistically in multiracial countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia. mdnorman@usm.my.
authors.forename: Mohd Normani
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Bahram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jalaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Cheu Lih
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Aw
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Dinsuhaimi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sidek
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D005006:Ethnicity; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013060:Speech / Q000941:ethics* / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asian; Auditory; Brainstem; Ethnicity; Speech; Temporal