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Are speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (speech-ABR) outcomes influenced by ethnicity?

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Abstract

Due to its objective nature, auditory brainstem response (ABR) evoked by complex stimuli has been gaining attention lately. The present study aimed to compare the speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (speech-ABR) results between two ethnic groups: Malay and Chinese. In addition, it was also of interest to compare the speech-ABR outcomes obtained from the present study with the published Caucasian data. Thirty healthy male adults (15 Malay and 15 Chinese) were enrolled in this comparative study. Speech syllable/da/presented at 80 dBnHL was used to record speech-ABR waveforms from the right ear of each subject. Amplitudes and latencies of speech-ABR peaks (V, A, C, D, E, F and O), as well as composite onset measures (V/A duration, V/A amplitude and V/A slope) were computed and analyzed. When the two ethnic groups were compared, all speech-ABR results were not statistically different from each other (p > 0.05). When the data from the present study were compared with the published Caucasian data, most of the statistical analyses were significant (p < 0.05). That is, Asian subjects revealed significantly higher peak amplitudes, earlier peak latencies, higher V/A amplitudes and steeper V/A slopes than that of Caucasians. The speech-ABR results between Malay and Chinese were found to be essentially similar due to anatomical similarities. Nevertheless, specific normative data for Asian adults are required as their speech-ABR results are different from that of Caucasian males. This issue should be addressed before it can be applied holistically in multiracial countries.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all subjects who participated in the study. The authors also thank Prof. Nina Kraus and her colleagues from Northwestern University for their help in the early stage of study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Audiology, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

    Mohd Normani Zakaria, Bahram Jalaei & Cheu Lih Aw

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

    Dinsuhaimi Sidek

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  1. Mohd Normani Zakaria
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  2. Bahram Jalaei
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  3. Cheu Lih Aw
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  4. Dinsuhaimi Sidek
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Correspondence to Mohd Normani Zakaria.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical standard

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of Universiti Sains Malaysia and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Funding

This study was part of a research project funded by Research University (RU) Grant (1001/PPSK/812114), Universiti Sains Malaysia.

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Zakaria, M.N., Jalaei, B., Aw, C. et al. Are speech-evoked auditory brainstem response (speech-ABR) outcomes influenced by ethnicity?. Neurol Sci 37, 943–948 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2522-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2522-0

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