Supra-threshold auditory brainstem response amplitudes in humans: Test-retest reliability, electrode montage and noise exposure

• Published in: Hearing research Vol. 364; pp. 38 - 47
• Main Authors: Prendergast, Garreth, Tu, Wenhe, Guest, Hannah, Millman, Rebecca E., Kluk, Karolina, Couth, Samuel, Munro, Kevin J., Plack, Christopher J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.07.2018; Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Auditory brainstem response; Auditory Threshold; Cochlear Nerve - physiopathology; Cochlear synaptopathy; Electrode montage; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; Female; Humans; Noise - adverse effects; Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous; Predictive Value of Tests; Reaction Time; Reproducibility of Results; Summating potential; Test-retest reliability; Time Factors; Young Adult; Auditory brainstem response; Cochlear synaptopathy; Electrode montage; Test-retest reliability; Summating potential
• ISSN: 0378-5955; 1878-5891; 1878-5891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2018.04.002

The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is a sub-cortical evoked potential in which a series of well-defined waves occur in the first 10 ms after the onset of an auditory stimulus. Wave V of the ABR, particularly wave V latency, has been shown to be remarkably stable over time in individual listeners. However, little attention has been paid to the reliability of wave I, which reflects auditory nerve activity. This ABR component has attracted interest recently, as wave I amplitude has been identified as a possible non-invasive measure of noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy. The current study aimed to determine whether ABR wave I amplitude has sufficient test-retest reliability to detect impaired auditory nerve function in an otherwise normal-hearing listener. Thirty normal-hearing females were tested, divided equally into low- and high-noise exposure groups. The stimulus was an 80 dB nHL click. ABR recordings were made from the ipsilateral mastoid and from the ear canal (using a tiptrode). Although there was some variability between listeners, wave I amplitude had high test-retest reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) comparable to that for wave V amplitude. There were slight gains in reliability for wave I amplitude when recording from the ear canal (ICC of 0.88) compared to the mastoid (ICC of 0.85). The summating potential (SP) and ratio of SP to wave I were also quantified and found to be much less reliable than measures of wave I and V amplitude. Finally, we found no significant differences in the amplitude of any wave components between low- and high-noise exposure groups. We conclude that, if the other sources of between-subject variability can be controlled, wave I amplitude is sufficiently reliable to accurately characterize individual differences in auditory nerve function. •ABR wave I and V amplitudes have excellent test-retest reliability in humans.•SP amplitude and SP/AP ratio have poor test-retest reliability.•Canal tiptrodes result in only slightly increased reliability re. mastoid electrodes.•No significant differences in amplitudes between low- and high-noise exposed females.