Auditory Brainstem Response Essay

Auditory brainstem response (ABR) refers to responses that originate from the brainstem when a short stimulus is played to a patient’s ears. Results are extracted by recording electrical activity in the brain using electrodes that are placed on the scalp, which produce an EEG that consists of different waveforms but the background EEG is separated to detect only the auditory brainstem response. The stimulus presented to the patient is most commonly a click stimulus, which generates a response from the basilar region of the cochlea, as it produces waves that have a high amplitude and clear morphology. The other option is a tone pip stimulus, which is more frequency specific, but has lower amplitude compared to a click stimulus. A response occurs

In addition, there may be electromagnetic interferences from medical equipment and nearby power sources that may degrade ABR responses making the waveforms unclear and difficult to interpret, which could result in an underestimation or overestimation of hearing loss. Also, it is argued that the auditory brainstem response is “not a true test of hearing” (phonakpro.com, online) because it reflects activity of the peripheral auditory system and brainstem pathways that are useful in peripheral sensitivity but it does not assess auditory function at the corticol level. It is also argued that behavioural testing should be included when an infant reaches a suitable age for a more accurate evaluation of hearing. Another limitation is that click ABR does not provide frequency specific information and does not produce a clear wave V, which is required for threshold estimation; therefore tone pip ABR must be carried out to provide frequency specific