Automated Objective Audiometry using Long Latency Steady State Responses

The aim of this project is to develop an automated hearing threshold estimation system using cortical auditory long latency evoked responsesLLRanalyzed objectively in a steady state conditionTest methods that dominate clinical practice todaysuch as auditory brainstem responseABRand auditory steady state responseASSRpermit only indirect inferences about hearing sensitivity and cannot provide a comprehensive view of the auditory pathwayas can be achieved with cortical responsesPreviouslymaturation and level of arousal issuesas well as lack of comfort by clinical audiologists in the interpretation of LLR results have limited their widespread clinical implementationThe investigators have demonstrated in their previous work and in a number of recent publications that an objective analysis approach can be successfully applied to the LLRdefined as the Auditory Steady State Long Latency ResponsesASSLLRusing modulation rates belowHzThe work to date has demonstrated success in adultschildren and infants with a planned focus for this application on this youngest groupas they cannot be tested by conventional audiometry and because they present the greatest challenges for cortical responsesThe specific aims of this Phase II project areas followsOptimization of the ASSLLR acquisition system to improve data and spectral analysis resolution and incorporation of response analysis and detection algorithms onto the system platform currently manufactured and marketed by Intelligent Hearing SystemsRefinement of algorithm and analysis tools for response detection and noise reductionEvaluation of the system for data acquisition in subjects with normal hearingnand in children and adults with known sensorineural and conductive hearing lossesncompared to behavioral thresholdsEvaluation of the system for data acquisition and analysis in newborns and young infantsncompared to ABR with special attention to participant stateWork will also involve development of test protocols and reference datasets based on the outcomes of Specific Aimsandand demonstration that responses can be acquired with supra threshold speech stimuli as wellThe successful completion of this work will result in a clinical tool that will provide methods for objective evaluation of the auditory system that includes the cortical level