Computer methods for on-line hearing testing with auditory brain stem responses.

On-line computer methods were developed and evaluated for automated hearing testing with auditory brain stem responses (ABR). The system contained (1) a response recognition unit which recognized the presence or absence of an ABR response and (2) a threshold tracking unit which adjusted stimulus intensity and determined the ABR threshold. Two methods, one nontemplate (variance ratio) and one template (cross-correlation), were evaluated for response recognition while three threshold tracking methods were explored: clinical, Békésy, and PEST (parameter estimation by sequential testing). Both response recognition and threshold tracking units were evaluated by computer simulations for on-line operation using a standard set of experimentally recorded ABRs. The results indicated that while all the response recognition methods were reasonably accurate, their on-line use resulted in significant differences in test efficiency due to differences in tracking methods.

[1]  H. A. Beagley,et al.  Signal statistics in objective auditory evoked potential (AEP) detection by the phase spectral method. , 1980, Journal of biomedical engineering.

[2]  J. Jacobson,et al.  A comparison of auditory brain stem response and behavioral screening in high risk and normal newborn infants. , 1984, Ear and hearing.

[3]  A. Thornton,et al.  Auditory response detection method and apparatus , 1981 .

[4]  H. Schimmel.  The (�) Reference: Accuracy of Estimated Mean Components in Average Response Studies , 1967, Science.

[5]  B M Sayers,et al.  Pattern analysis of auditory-evoked EEG potentials. , 1979, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[6]  T Allison,et al.  On-line statistical detection of average evoked potentials: application to evoked response audiometry (ERA). , 1978, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[7]  C Elberling,et al.  Quality estimation of averaged auditory brainstem responses. , 1984, Scandinavian audiology.

[8]  C. Shagass,et al.  Brief latency click-evoked potentials during waking and sleep in man. , 1973, Psychophysiology.

[9]  Georg v. Békésy,et al.  A New Audiometer , 1947 .

[10]  N. I. Bachen,et al.  Detection of Stimulus-Related (Evoked Response) Activity in the Electroencephalogram (EEG) , 1986, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[11]  B A Weber,et al.  A Computerized Scoring Procedure for Auditory Brainstem Response Audiometry , 1980, Ear and hearing.

[12]  D W Worthington,et al.  Some Comparisons between Auditory Brain Stem Response Thresholds, Latencies, and the Pure‐Tone Audiogram , 1985, Ear and hearing.

[13]  A. Burr Fontaine,et al.  The Detection of Auditory Evoked Responses Using a Matched Filter , 1983, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[14]  N. Kraus,et al.  Auditory brain-stem responses in hydrocephalic patients. , 1984, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[15]  W. G. Hardy,et al.  Pediatric audiology. , 1962, The Pediatric clinics of North America.

[16]  G. Salomon.  Electric response audiometry (ERA) based on rank correlation. , 1974, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[17]  C. Elberling,et al.  The role of sedation in ERA from the vertex. , 1973, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[18]  R A Zappulla,et al.  Response threshold determination of the brain stem auditory evoked response: a comparison of the phase versus magnitude derived from the fast Fourier transform. , 1985, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[19]  S. Arnold.  Objective versus Visual Detection of the Auditory Brain Stem Response , 1985, Ear and hearing.

[20]  O. Ozdamar,et al.  COMPUTER DETERMINATION OF HEARING THRESHOLDS USING EVOKED POTENTIALS. , 1987 .

[21]  M. Cohen,et al.  Improving evoked response audiometry with special reference to the use of machine scoring. , 1974, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[22]  L Malis,et al.  Application of phase spectral analysis for brain stem auditory evoked potential detection in normal subjects and patients with posterior fossa tumors. , 1984, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[23]  A. Salamy,et al.  Brain stem evoked potential findings in children with otitis media. , 1979, Archives of otolaryngology.

[24]  N. Kraus,et al.  Auditory brainstem response in infants recovering from bacterial meningitis. Neurologic assessment. , 1983, Archives of neurology.

[25]  R. Bickford,et al.  Brain stem auditory evoked potentials: the use of noise estimate. , 1980, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[26]  S S Saunders,et al.  Evoked potentials: computer-automated threshold-tracking procedure using an objective detection criterion. , 1987, Ear and hearing.

[27]  Douglas M. Wilkison.  Estimation of thresholds for evoked potentials using a laboratory computer , 1983, Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

[28]  C Elberling,et al.  Auditory electrophysiology. The use of templates and cross correlation functions in the analysis of brain stem potentials. , 1979, Scandinavian audiology.

[29]  C Elberling,et al.  Objective detection of averaged auditory brainstem responses. , 1984, Scandinavian audiology.

[30]  Joint Committee on Infant Hearing position statement. , 1982, ASHA.

[31]  H. A. BEAGLEY,et al.  Objective evaluation of auditory evoked EEG responses , 1974, Nature.

[32]  J. Jerger,et al.  Preferred Method For Clinical Determination Of Pure-Tone Thresholds , 1959 .

[33]  S M Mason,et al.  On-line computer scoring of the auditory brainstem response for estimation of hearing threshold. , 1984, Audiology : official organ of the International Society of Audiology.

[34]  F. Sharbrough,et al.  Nonpathologic Factors Influencing Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials , 1978 .

[35]  J. Robert Boston,et al.  Spectra of Auditory Brainstem Responses and Spontaneous EEG , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[36]  C Elberling,et al.  Threshold characteristics of the human auditory brain stem response. , 1987, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[37]  M. M. Taylor,et al.  PEST: Efficient Estimates on Probability Functions , 1967 .

[38]  H Weinberg,et al.  The recognition index: a pattern recognition technique for noisy signals. , 1972, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[39]  T W Picton,et al.  Human auditory evoked potentials. II. Effects of attention. , 1974, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[40]  E. Donchin,et al.  A simulation study of the efficacy of stepwise discriminant analysis in the detection and comparison of event related potentials. , 1975, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.