ABR - Diagnosis Flashcards
Evoked potentials definition
electrical signals generated by the nervous system in response to a stimulus
What are 2 short-latency evoked potentials?
ECochG and ABR
In general, what is the ABR (auditory brainstem response)?
a relatively quick and reliable, objective clinical test that measures the functional integrity of the auditory peripheral and brainstem structures (tests from the cochlea to the brainstem)
ABR is probably the most widely used AEP in which clinical scenarios?
- estimating behavioral thresholds in infants
- detecting neurologic abnormalities of the VIII CN and brainstem
The important thing to remember about the ABR is that it…
makes INFERENCES about hearing (it’s not an actual hearing test!!)
What type of stimulus does the ABR test protocol typically use?
clicks
How does the ABR actually measure hearing?
it measures hearing based on the electrical output from the different structures along the auditory pathway
What are the 3 main categories of clinical applications for the ABR?
- hearing screening (for early ID of HL)
- estimation of hearing thresholds
- neuro-otologic applications
What are some examples of neuro-otologic applications of the ABR?
- determining site/level of a lesion
- monitoring of comatose patients
- intraoperative monitoring
Describe the morphology of the ABR.
a series of + and - peaks (biphasic) of waves (components) after the onset of a high-intensity, brief stimulus (click)
How are the components of the ABR typically identified/labeled?
with Roman numerals; I-VII
T/F: At higher intensities, all ABR components are visible with wave V being the largest.
True
What are the characteristics of waves II, IV, VI, and VII?
they’re typically smaller and quite variable, and can’t always be recorded in all patients (thus limiting their clinical application)
Which waves of the ABR are usually analyzed for diagnostic purposes?
waves I, III, and V
What are 3 types of stimuli the ABR can use?
- clicks
- chirps
- tone bursts
Characteristics of click stimuli:
- abrupt onset
- short duration
- broad spectrum (to evoke responses from numerous nerve fibers along the cochlear partition)
What is the range of sound that click stimuli usually evaluate?
2000 to 4000 Hz
Characteristics of tone burst stimuli:
- provide fx specific info
- requires a longer recording window to capture specific responses
What is an example of a clinical scenario where you would use tone burst stimuli in an ABR?
when building a baby’s audiogram to determine thresholds for cochlear implantation
Why do tone burst stimuli require a longer duration for recording?
because the response has a longer latency in comparison to click stimuli
Characteristics of chirp stimuli:
- more efficient than clicks because it evokes larger amplitude ABRs
- this advantage is dependent on cochlear fx specificity
Testing parameters for chirp stimuli:
either fx specific, or in a 2000 to 4000 Hz range
What is the reason the ABR can be used to determine the site/level of a lesion?
the ABR waveform reflects the neural activity that originates in the different anatomical structures along the neural pathway
Wave I of the ABR correlates to which structure?
the part of the auditory nerve closest to the cochlea
Wave II of the ABR correlates to which structure?
the part of the auditory nerve closest to the brainstem
What are two terms we use to describe an ABR waveform?
latency and amplitude
What are the two types of latency in reference to ABR testing?
absolute and relative
Absolute latency definition
- the neural conducting velocity, essentially, how fast a stimulus is passing through the anatomical structure
- on the waveform, it’s where each peak appears (I, II, III, etc.)
Relative latency definition
consists of inter peak latency and intramural latency differences
Interpeak latency definition
the latency between waves, such as I-III, III-V, or I-V
interaural latency difference definition
comparison of the right vs left side of the brain
What are some factors that affect amplitude of ABR waveforms?
- temporal synchrony/neural activity coherence in the responding structures
- the number of elements contributing to the response
A smaller amplitude of an ABR wave signifies…
lower temporal synchrony
A larger amplitude of an ABR wave signifies…
a greater number of neurons being activated
What is the amplitude ratio of Wave V to wave I typically used for in clinical scenarios?
because wave V is typically larger than wave I, any low ratio may be indicative of a pathological abnormality