Brainstem correlates of cochlear nonlinearity measured via the scalp-recorded frequency-following response.

ABSTRACT: The frequency-following response (FFR) is an EEG-based potential used to characterize the brainstem encoding of complex sounds. Adopting techniques from auditory signal processing, we assessed the degree to which FFRs encode important properties of cochlear processing (e.g. nonlinearities) and their relation to speech-in-noise (SIN) listening skills. Based on the premise that normal cochlear transduction is characterized by rectification and compression, we reasoned these nonlinearities would create measurable harmonic distortion in FFRs in response to even pure tone input. We recorded FFRs to nonspeech (pure- and amplitude-modulated-tones) stimuli in normal-hearing individuals. We then compared conventional indices of cochlear nonlinearity, via distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPO

SUBMITTER: Bidelman GM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7275900 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature