Threshold estimation with the P1-N1-P2 cortical auditory evoked potentials

Özet

Aim: The aim of the study was to compare the hearing threshold levels obtained by cortical auditory evoked responses and classic behavioral audiometry in adults with normal hearing and senso-rineural hearing loss and to investigate the intercompatibility of these two tests. Methods: In this study 74 adults consisting of 18 individuals with normal, and 56 impaired hearing were evaluated and threshold le-vels of ALRs obtained with both tests at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz frequencies and behavioural thresholds were compared.Results: In adults with normal hearing any correlation between AEPs and behavioral thresholds was not found at 500 Hz, whi-le moderate, and weak correlations were detected at 1000 and 2000 Hz, also at 4000 Hz, respectively. While in adults with he-aring loss strong correlations were detected at all of the tested frequencies. The biggest mean difference between two tests va-lues were 5 dB in normal and 7.4 dB in individuals with hearing disorders.Conclusion: ALRs have showed good correlations in individuals with pure tone behavioral thresholds at 500, 1000, and 4000 Hz frequencies in patients with normal hearing and those with hearing loss. Therefore it may be suggested ALRs may be recommended as a reliable and accurate test to estimate pure tone thresholds in adults and children uncooperative to behavioural thresholds, fo-rensic cases and subjects with nonorganic hearing loss.