On the benefits of using chained stimuli for frequency-specific ABR acquisition

To avoid the adaptation effects caused by increasing the stimulus repetition rate in frequency-specific ABR testing, some researchers have trialed alternative stimuli called 'chained stimuli'. The current study analysed the latency variance in Wave V for auditory brainstem responses evoked by representative chained stimuli (tone-pulse series stimulation with simultaneous Gliding HIghpass NOise Masker -'GHINOMA') and conventional nonchained stimuli (tone bursts) and found that these 'chained stimuli' can be used to obtain frequency-specific ABR waveforms in less time compared to conventional stimuli, without sacrificing the 'quality' of waveforms obtained. Our findings suggest that the test-retest repeatability of chained stimuli is no different than that for conventional nonchained stimuli, and that chained stimuli can be effectively substituted for conventional stimuli with no degradation in the quality of responses. The observed improvements in morphology, and the reduction in overall testing time, make the use of chained stimuli appealing in clinical practice.