Publication Date

2017-05-23

Availability

Embargoed

Embargo Period

2019-05-23

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)

Department

Biomedical Engineering (Engineering)

Date of Defense

2017-04-03

First Committee Member

Ozcan Ozdamar

Second Committee Member

Jorge Bohorquez

Third Committee Member

Suhrud Rajguru

Fourth Committee Member

Rafael Delgado

Fifth Committee Member

Christopher Bennett

Abstract

Psychophysical detection of gaps embedded in ongoing sounds is commonly used to measure temporal resolution in hearing tests. Cortical auditory responses to such gaps in noise are investigated as electrophysiological assessment of temporal resolution. This study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) to gaps in broadband noise. Transient responses such as Auditory Brainstem (ABR), Middle Latency (MLR) and Late latency (LLR) were recorded as well as 40Hz Auditory Steady-State Responses (ASSR) and Quasi ASSR generated by jittered 40Hz gaps. Gaps of short and long durations were presented at different rates to study the effect of rate and duration on AEPs. Also, the influence of gap onset/offset on the transient evoked responses was examined. AEPs were elicited at four rates 0.5, 1, 5, and 40Hz. 0.5Hz responses showed cortical waves while 1 Hz responses showed ABR, MLR and LLR components. 40 and 5 Hz responses were characterized by ABR and MLR components with no LLRs likely. For short gaps, results suggest that amplitudes of MLR, LLR and QASSR were affected by gap duration; as the duration decreases the amplitudes diminish. For long gaps, two distinct onset and offset responses were observed. Waveform changes as the gap shortens from 300ms to 6ms suggest overlap of the onset and offset responses resulting in different AEP morphologies.

Keywords

gap; MLR; ASSR; Temporal resolution; noise; ABR; auditory; LLR; AEP

Download

Available for download on Thursday, May 23, 2019

Share

COinS