An Evaluation of Electrodiagnostic Measures of Hearing

Abstract

The effectiveness of three non-invasive electrophysiological techniques in the assessment of the subjective hearing thresholds was evaluated in normal and hearing impaired populations. 1. The Vertex Potential was used to establish objective auditory thresholds in normal adults and in adults and children with known hearing defects. Comparison of subjective and objective hearing thresholds revealed the vertex potential to be most reliable as a measure of auditory acuity in the group of normal adults; the groups of adult and child hearing defects showed both greater discrepancies and variability between subjective and objective assessment. 2. The Post-Auricular Myogenic Potential was investigated in two groups of normal adults. It was found to provide a less reliable assessment of auditory acuity than either the vertex potential or the brainstem potentials mainly on account of its variability and dependancy on resting muscle tone. 3. Brainstem Evoked Potentials were recorded in a large group of normal adults. The N4 component (Jewett's V wave) was found to provide a close and reliable estimation On subjective hearing level. The observed Stability in the characteristics of the brainstem potentials would support their use in neurological assessment, but initial findings indicate a need for the development of more comprehensive age and sex related normal data. Further investigations of the vertex potential using linguistic and non-linguistic stimuli failed to produce any clear evidence of the reflection of stimulus meaning in the characteristics of the vertex potential. The results, instead, would support the on-response nature of the vertex potential whose characteristics are primarily determined by the physical properties of the stimulus.

Divisions: College of Health & Life Sciences > School of Optometry > Optometry
Additional Information: Copyright © Jones, 1979. L.A. Jones asserts their moral right to be identified as the author of this thesis. This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without appropriate permission or acknowledgement. If you have discovered material in Aston Publications Explorer which is unlawful e.g. breaches copyright, (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please read our Takedown Policy and contact the service immediately.
Institution: Aston University
Uncontrolled Keywords: electrodiagnostic,Linguistic Processing,Audiological Assessment,Vertex Potential,Post Auricular Myogenic Potential,Brainstem Evoked Potentials
Last Modified: 30 Sep 2024 07:30
Date Deposited: 22 Feb 2011 09:34
Completed Date: 1979
Authors: Jones, Lesley A.

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