Frequency Specificity of the Auditory Brainstem Response Elicited by 1000-Hz Filtered Clicks

Abstract

In normal-hearing subjects and in subjects with a flat cochlear hearing loss, auditory brainstem responses (ABR) were recorded at various levels of a 1000-Hz filtered click stimulus with and without high-pass filtered masking noise. The difference in latency of the major peak in the ABR for the masked and unmasked condition was zero at the ABR threshold. We regard this as proof of the frequency specificity of the 1000-Hz filtered click-stimulated ABR threshold. The difference between ABR threshold and the subjective pure-tone threshold at 1000 Hz amounted to 19 dB in normal-hearing subjects and to 10 dB in subjects with a flat cochlear hearing loss. This is probably related to loss of temporal integration and an abnormal loudness growth (recruitment).

Key Words:

• Auditory brainstem response
• Click
• 1000 Hz filtered
• Frequency specificity
• Stimulus level