HIGH-FREQUENCY TONEBURST-EVOKED ABR LATENCY-INTENSITY FUNCTIONS IN SENSORINEURAL HEARING-IMPAIRED HUMANS

The latency-intensity functions (LIFs) of ABRs elicited by high-freque ncy (8, 10, 12, and 14 kHz) toneburst stimuli were evaluated in 20 sub jects with confirmed 'moderate' high-frequency sensorineural hearing l oss. Wave V results from clicks and tonebursts revealed all intra- and intersession data to be reliable (p > 0.05). Linear regression curves were highly significant (p less than or equal to .0001), indicating l inear relationships for all stimuli analyzed. Comparisons between the linear regression curves from a previously reported normal-hearing sub ject group and this sensorineural hearing-impaired group showed no sig nificant differences. This study demonstrated that tonebursts at 8, 10 , and 12 kHz evoked ABRs which decreased in latency as a function of i ncreasing intensity and that these LIFs were consistent and orderly (1 4 kHz was not determinable). These results will contribute information to facilitate the establishment of change criteria used to predict ch ange in hearing during treatment with ototoxic medications.