Binaural interaction of bone-conducted auditory brainstem responses

Bone-conducted auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) elicited by monoaural st imulation are very useful for evaluating hearing in children with congenita l atresia of both ears. In a previous study of sound lateralization in chil dren with congenital atresia of both ears, using bilateral bone-conducted s timuli, we found that most of the children could sufficiently retain binaur al hearing ability in terms of both intensity and time differences. In this study we attempted to record bilateral bone-conducted ABRs in normal subje cts in order to explore binaural interaction objectively. The study reveale d that binaural interaction exists in bone-conducted ABRs. This can be take n as neurophysiological evidence that sound lateralization can be detected by children with bilateral microtia and atresia.