Electrically Evoked Auditory Event-Related Responses in Patients with Auditory Brainstem Implants: Morphological Characteristics, Test-Retest Reliability, Effects of Stimulation Level, and Association with Auditory Detection.

Only five children and two adults were studied, so the findings are descriptive and cannot show that cortical responses work for all auditory brainstem implant users. Children with limited language could not reliably report non-auditory sensations, so some electrodes may have caused sensations that were not detected. Stimulation levels used for cortical responses were based on each subject's behavioral levels, which may have favored finding a relationship between objective and behavioral thresholds. Only a few stimulation levels were tested in many subjects, so the effect of level on response shape was not fully characterized. Subjects varied in age and cause of hearing loss, so the study cannot answer whether responses change with development.

Do not conclude that cortical response shape can identify electrodes causing non-auditory sensations. The study did not provide conclusive evidence, and children with limited language could not reliably report sensation.