scholarly journals Reporting Data on Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) in Rats: Recommendations Based on Review of Experimental Protocols and Literature

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1596
Author(s):  
Ewa Domarecka ◽  
Mahmut Tayyar Kalcioglu ◽  
Ahmet Mutlu ◽  
Abdulkadir Özgür ◽  
Jasper Smit ◽  
...  

Research in hearing science is accelerating, and a wealth of data concerning auditory brainstem responses (ABR) in various animal models is published in peer-reviewed journals every year. Recently, we reviewed studies using ABR measurements in tinnitus rat models. We found significant discrepancies in the outcomes of these studies, some due to different research approaches and others due to different methodologies. Thus, the present work aimed to collect comprehensive information on all factors influencing ABR recordings in rats and compile recommendations on ABR data reporting. A questionnaire with queries about animal husbandry, transfer, handling, and the exact test conditions before, during, and after ABR recordings was sent to 125 researchers who published the relevant studies between 2015 and 2021. Eighteen researchers provided detailed answers on factors related to ABR measurements. Based on the analysis of the returned questionnaires, we identified three domains reflecting animal-, equipment-, and experiment-dependent factors that might influence the ABR outcome, thus requiring reporting in published research. The analysis of survey results led to the compilation of recommendations for reporting ABR outcomes supported by a literature review. Following these recommendations should facilitate comparative and meta-analyses of ABR results provided by various research groups.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 901
Author(s):  
Ewa Domarecka ◽  
Heidi Olze ◽  
Agnieszka J. Szczepek

Tinnitus is a subjective phantom sound perceived only by the affected person and a symptom of various auditory and non-auditory conditions. The majority of methods used in clinical and basic research for tinnitus diagnosis are subjective. To better understand tinnitus-associated changes in the auditory system, an objective technique measuring auditory sensitivity—the auditory brainstem responses (ABR)—has been suggested. Therefore, the present review aimed to summarize ABR’s features in a rat model during experimentally induced tinnitus. PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus databanks were searched using Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms: auditory brainstem response, tinnitus, rat. The search identified 344 articles, and 36 of them were selected for the full-text analyses. The experimental protocols and results were evaluated, and the gained knowledge was synthesized. A high level of heterogeneity between the studies was found regarding all assessed areas. The most consistent finding of all studies was a reduction in the ABR wave I amplitude following exposure to noise and salicylate. Simultaneously, animals with salicylate-induced but not noise-induced tinnitus had an increased amplitude of wave IV. Furthermore, the present study identified a need to develop a consensus experimental ABR protocol applied in future tinnitus studies using the rat model.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-124
Author(s):  
Linda W. Norrix ◽  
Julie Thein ◽  
David Velenovsky

Purpose Low residual noise (RN) levels are critically important when obtaining electrophysiological recordings of threshold auditory brainstem responses. In this study, we examine the effectiveness and efficiency of Kalman-weighted averaging (KWA) implemented on the Vivosonic Integrity System and artifact rejection (AR) implemented on the Intelligent Hearing Systems SmartEP system for obtaining low RN levels. Method Sixteen adults participated. Electrophysiological measures were obtained using simultaneous recordings by the Vivosonic and Intelligent Hearing Systems for subjects in 2 relaxed conditions and 4 active motor conditions. Three averaging times were used for the relaxed states (1, 1.5, and 3 min) and for the active states (1.5, 3, and 6 min). Repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to examine RN levels as a function of noise reduction strategy (i.e., KWA, AR) and averaging time. Results Lower RN levels were obtained using KWA than AR in both the relaxed and active motor states. Thus, KWA was more effective than was AR under the conditions examined in this study. Using KWA, approximately 3 min of averaging was needed in the relaxed condition to obtain an average RN level of 0.025 μV. In contrast, in the active motor conditions, approximately 6 min of averaging was required using KWA. Mean RN levels of 0.025 μV were not attained using AR. Conclusions When patients are not physiologically quiet, low RN levels are more likely to be obtained and more efficiently obtained using KWA than AR. However, even when using KWA, in active motor states, 6 min of averaging or more may be required to obtain threshold responses. Averaging time needed and whether a low RN level can be attained will depend on the level of motor activity exhibited by the patient.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-403
Author(s):  
Dania Rishiq ◽  
Ashley Harkrider ◽  
Cary Springer ◽  
Mark Hedrick

Purpose The main purpose of this study was to evaluate aging effects on the predominantly subcortical (brainstem) encoding of the second-formant frequency transition, an essential acoustic cue for perceiving place of articulation. Method Synthetic consonant–vowel syllables varying in second-formant onset frequency (i.e., /ba/, /da/, and /ga/ stimuli) were used to elicit speech-evoked auditory brainstem responses (speech-ABRs) in 16 young adults ( M age = 21 years) and 11 older adults ( M age = 59 years). Repeated-measures mixed-model analyses of variance were performed on the latencies and amplitudes of the speech-ABR peaks. Fixed factors were phoneme (repeated measures on three levels: /b/ vs. /d/ vs. /g/) and age (two levels: young vs. older). Results Speech-ABR differences were observed between the two groups (young vs. older adults). Specifically, older listeners showed generalized amplitude reductions for onset and major peaks. Significant Phoneme × Group interactions were not observed. Conclusions Results showed aging effects in speech-ABR amplitudes that may reflect diminished subcortical encoding of consonants in older listeners. These aging effects were not phoneme dependent as observed using the statistical methods of this study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 3877-3892
Author(s):  
Ashley Parker ◽  
Candace Slack ◽  
Erika Skoe

Purpose Miniaturization of digital technologies has created new opportunities for remote health care and neuroscientific fieldwork. The current study assesses comparisons between in-home auditory brainstem response (ABR) recordings and recordings obtained in a traditional lab setting. Method Click-evoked and speech-evoked ABRs were recorded in 12 normal-hearing, young adult participants over three test sessions in (a) a shielded sound booth within a research lab, (b) a simulated home environment, and (c) the research lab once more. The same single-family house was used for all home testing. Results Analyses of ABR latencies, a common clinical metric, showed high repeatability between the home and lab environments across both the click-evoked and speech-evoked ABRs. Like ABR latencies, response consistency and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were robust both in the lab and in the home and did not show significant differences between locations, although variability between the home and lab was higher than latencies, with two participants influencing this lower repeatability between locations. Response consistency and SNR also patterned together, with a trend for higher SNRs to pair with more consistent responses in both the home and lab environments. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of obtaining high-quality ABR recordings within a simulated home environment that closely approximate those recorded in a more traditional recording environment. This line of work may open doors to greater accessibility to underserved clinical and research populations.


Skull Base ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 16 (S 2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalini Tsiakou ◽  
Thomas Nikolopoulos ◽  
Olga Papadopoulou ◽  
Maria Theodosiou ◽  
Sotirios Pappas ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Fan-Yin Cheng ◽  
Craig A. Champlin

Temporal acuity is the ability to differentiate between sounds based on fluctuations in the waveform envelope. The proximity of successive sounds and background noise diminishes the ability to track rapid changes between consecutive sounds. We determined whether a physiological correlate of temporal acuity is also affected by these factors. We recorded the auditory brainstem response (ABR) from human listeners using a harmonic complex (S1) followed by a brief tone burst (S2) with the latter serving as the evoking signal. The duration and depth of the silent gap between S1 and S2 were manipulated, and the peak latency and amplitude of wave V were measured. The latency of the responses decreased significantly as the duration or depth of the gap increased. The amplitude of the responses was not affected by the duration or depth of the gap. These findings suggest that changing the physical parameters of the gap affects the auditory system’s ability to encode successive sounds.


Author(s):  
Matt D. Schalles ◽  
Dorian S. Houser ◽  
James J. Finneran ◽  
Peter Tyack ◽  
Barbara Shinn-Cunningham ◽  
...  

AbstractAuditory neuroscience in dolphins has largely focused on auditory brainstem responses; however, such measures reveal little about the cognitive processes dolphins employ during echolocation and acoustic communication. The few previous studies of mid- and long-latency auditory-evoked potentials (AEPs) in dolphins report different latencies, polarities, and magnitudes. These inconsistencies may be due to any number of differences in methodology, but these studies do not make it clear which methodological differences may account for the disparities. The present study evaluates how electrode placement and pre-processing methods affect mid- and long-latency AEPs in (Tursiops truncatus). AEPs were measured when reference electrodes were placed on the skin surface over the forehead, the external auditory meatus, or the dorsal surface anterior to the dorsal fin. Data were pre-processed with or without a digital 50-Hz low-pass filter, and the use of independent component analysis to isolate signal components related to neural processes from other signals. Results suggest that a meatus reference electrode provides the highest quality AEP signals for analyses in sensor space, whereas a dorsal reference yielded nominal improvements in component space. These results provide guidance for measuring cortical AEPs in dolphins, supporting future studies of their cognitive auditory processing.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document