What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to evaluate a combined auditory stimulus that provides both audibility and functional hearing assessments in children.

June 18, 2026

A Dual-Function Evoked-Potential Stimulus for Assessing Audibility and Functional Hearing

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This research aims to evaluate a combined auditory stimulus that provides both audibility and functional hearing assessments in children.
Compared three conditions: click ABR (80, 60 dB), conventional speech-evoked FFR, and ABR+ (60 dB click followed by a steady vowel).
Included twenty-three children aged 3-12 years during routine clinical evaluations at a hospital.
Analyzed ABR peaks and FFR magnitudes using blinded ratings and statistical models.
ABR latency exhibited expected effects with significant differences between 80 dB and 60 dB for waves I, III, and V.
No significant latency difference for wave V between 60-dB click ABR and ABR+.
Spectral analyses showed consistent patterns without condition effects across frequency domains up to 400 Hz.

Resumen

Background: The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is the gold standard for pediatric screening, but it captures threshold information only. Speech-evoked frequency-following responses (FFRs) index sustained, periodic speech encoding yet are rarely added in busy clinics. A single stimulus that elicits both would improve efficiency and broaden functional assessment. Purpose: We tested whether a combined stimulus yields ABR peaks and FFR magnitudes equivalent to those obtained with conventional, separate protocols. Research Design: This was a within-subject, three-condition comparison: click ABR (80, 60 dB), conventional speech-evoked FFR (cABR), and ABR (60-dB click followed by a short steady vowel). Study Sample: Twenty-three children without hearing difficulties (312 years of age; mean 6.65 years) were recruited during routine electrophysiology at Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital. Data Collection and Analysis: Recordings used a standard vertical montage with epoch windows of 10 to 12.5 ms for click ABR and 20 to 55 ms for cABR and ABR. For ABR outcomes, three blinded raters marked waves I, III, and V on individual averages. For FFR outcomes, root mean square and narrow-band fast Fourier transform magnitudes (100, 200, 300, and 400 Hz; 30 Hz) were computed on a fixed vowel window with prestimulus noise subtraction. Repeated-measures models tested condition effects (and frequency for FFR); paired t tests used Holm correction and effect sizes were reported as Cohens d. Results: ABR latency analyses showed the expected level effects (80 dB 60 dB) for waves I, III, and V. Critically, wave V latency did not differ between the 60-dB click ABR and the ABR click segment. In the frequency domain, spectra declined from 100 to 400 Hz with no main effect of condition and no condition frequency interaction. Conclusions: ABR reproduces click-ABR timing and speech-FFR magnitudes obtained with separate protocols, consolidating threshold-relevant synchrony and suprathreshold speech encoding in a single, clinic-feasible run. Clinical Relevance Statement: ABR can streamline pediatric assessments by providing a measure of audibility and functionally relevant encoding of periodic speech in one recording. This supports broader, time-efficient adoption of speech-evoked brainstem measures in clinical workflows.

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