Estimation of Surviving Spiral Ganglion Cells by Electrically-Evoked Auditory Brainstem Response

Abstract

Electrically-evoked auditory brainstem responses (EABRs) were recorded from normal and artificially damaged cochleae in order to observe the general characteristics of EABRs and to know whether it is possible to estimate the survival of the spiral ganglion cells by EABR. Waves of EABR appeared 1.5 to 2.0 msec earlier than those of the acoustically-evoked brainstem response and wave I was not observed due to electrical stimulation, whereas wave III and IV were consistently obtained, giving input-output function curves. The analysis of EABRs from the normal and abnormal cochleae suggested that the input-output function curve is thought to reflect the survival rate of the spiral ganglion cells.