Extended high-frequency hearing and suprathreshold neural synchrony in the auditory brainstem

Authors

Jithin Raj Balan
Sri Mishra, University of Texas at Austin
Hansapani Rodrigo, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-4-2025

Abstract

Elevated hearing thresholds in the extended high frequencies (EHFs) (>8 kHz) are often associated with poorer speech-in-noise recognition despite a clinically normal audiogram. However, whether EHF hearing loss is associated with disruptions in neural processing within the auditory brainstem remains uncertain. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether elevated EHF thresholds influence neural processing at lower frequencies in individuals with normal audiograms. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded at a suprathreshold level (80 dB normal hearing level) from 45 participants with clinically normal hearing. The recording protocol was optimized to obtain robust wave I of the ABR. Results revealed no significant relationship between the pure tone average for EHFs and any ABR metrics at either rate, while adjusting for the effects of age, sex, and hearing thresholds at standard frequencies (0.25–8 kHz). Rate-dependent significant sex effects for wave I and V amplitude, I-V amplitude ratio, and III and V latency were observed. Elevated EHF hearing thresholds do not significantly affect the brainstem processing in the lower frequencies (<8 >kHz).

Comments

© 2025 Acoustical Society of America. Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0036054

Recommended Citation

Balan, Jithin Raj, Srikanta K. Mishra, and Hansapani Rodrigo. 2025. “Extended High-Frequency Hearing and Suprathreshold Neural Synchrony in the Auditory Brainstem.” The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 157 (3): 1577–86. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0036054

Publication Title

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

DOI

10.1121/10.0036054