The effect of noise on auditory steady-state response (ASSR) has not been systematically studied, despite the fact that ASSR thresholds are sometimes measured in noisy environments. This study examined the effects of noise (speech babble) on the ASSR thresholds obtained from 31 normal hearing adults aged from 17 to 36 years (mean = 25 years). The ASSR thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz were measured in the right ear only using the Biologic MASTER system twice in quiet and in the presence of 55 dB A and 75 dB A of speech babble. The results showed no change in mean ASSR thresholds across the test-retest conditions in quiet. The mean ASSR thresholds obtained in the quiet conditions were 23.8, 22.5, 18.2 and 20.4 dB HL at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz, respectively. No significant shift in ASSR thresholds across all test frequencies was found when 55 dB A of speech babble was presented. However, when 75 dB A of noise was applied, the mean ASSR thresholds were significantly shifted by 9.5, 3.8, 4.2 and 5.8 dB at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz, respectively.

Keywords:
Auditory steady-state response, Behavioral thresholds, Noise, Speech babble
1.
ANSI S3.39-1987 (R 2002). American National Standard Specifications for Instruments to Measure Aural Acoustic Impedance and Admittance (Aural Acoustic Immittance) 2002.
2.
Australian Standards 2586. Audiometers. Sydney, Standards Association of Australia, 1983.
3.
Carhart R, Jerger JF: Preferred method for clinical determination of pure-tone thresholds. J Speech Hear Disord 1959;16:340–345.
4.
Cohen LT, Rickards FW, Clark GM: A comparison of steady-state evoked potentials to modulated tones in awake and sleeping humans. J Acoust Soc Am 1991;90:2467–2479.
5.
Cone-Wesson B, Parker J, Swiderski N, Rickards F: The auditory steady-state response: full term and premature neonates. J Am Acad Audiol 2002a;13:260–270.
6.
Cone-Wesson B, Rickards F, Poulis C, Parker J, Tan L, Pollard J: The auditory steady-state response: clinical observations and applications in infants and children. J Am Acad Audiol 2002b;13:270–282.
7.
Dimitrijevic A, John MS, van Roon P, Picton TW: Human auditory steady-state responses to tones independently modulated in both frequency and amplitude. Ear Hear 2001;22:100–111.
8.
Dimitrijevic A, John MS, van Roon P, Purcell DW, Adamonist J, Ostroff J, Nedzelski JM, Picton TW: Estimating the audiogram using multiple auditory steady-state responses. J Am Acad Audiol 2002;13:205–225.
9.
Dobie RA, Wilson MJ: A comparison of t test, F test, and coherence methods of detecting steady-state auditory-evoked potentials, distortion-product otoacoustic emissions, or other sinusoids. J Acoust Soc Am 1996;100:2236–2246.
10.
Herdman AT, Stapells DR: Thresholds determined using the monotic and dichotic multiple auditory steady state response technique in normal hearing subjects. Scand Audiol 2001;30:41–49.
11.
John MS, Dimitrijevic A, van Roon P, Picton TW: Multiple auditory steady-state responses to AM and FM stimuli. Audiol Neurootol 2001;6:12–27.
12.
Keefe DH, Bulen JC, Arehart KH, Burns EM: Ear-canal impedance and reflection coefficient in human infants and adults. J Acoust Soc Am 1993;94:2617–2638.
13.
Lins OG, Picton TW, Boucher BL, Durieux-Smith A, Champagne SC, Moran LM, Perez-Abalo MC, Martin V, Savio G: Frequency-specific audiometry using steady-state responses. Ear Hear 1996;17:81–96.
14.
Perez-Abalo MC, Savio G, Torres A, Martin V, Rodriguez E, Gelan L: Steady state responses to multiple amplitude-modulated tones: an optimized method to test frequency-specific thresholds in hearing-impaired children and normal-hearing subjects. Ear Hear 2001;22:200–211.
15.
Picton TW: Audiometry using auditory steady-state responses; in Burkard RF, Don M, Eggermont JJ (eds): Auditory Evoked Potentials: Basic Principles and Clinical Application. Baltimore, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007, pp 441–462.
16.
Rhoades K, McPherson B, Smyth V, Kei J, Baglioni A: The effect of background noise on click evoked otoacoustic emissions. Ear Hear 1998;19:450–462.
17.
Rickards FW, Tan LE, Cohen LT, Wilson OJ, Drew JH, Clark GM: Auditory steady-state evoked potential in newborns. Br J Audiol 1994;28:327–337.
18.
Roup CM, Wiley TL, Safady SH, Stoppenbach DT: Tympanometric screening norms for adults. Am J Audiol 1998;7:55–60.
19.
Shrout PE, Fleiss JL: Intraclass correlations: uses in assessing rater reliability. Psychol Bull 1979;86:420–427.
20.
Smith S, Kei J, McPherson B, Smyth V: Effects of speech babble on transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in normally hearing adults. J Am Acad Audiol 2001;12:371–378.
21.
van Maanen A, Stapells DR: Comparison of multiple auditory steady-state responses (80 versus 40 Hz) and slow cortical potentials for threshold estimation in hearing-impaired adults. Int J Audiol 2005;44:613–624.
© 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
2007
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.