Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR)
Your physician or physician’s assistant may request that you have an Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test. ABR testing measures the neural activity that occurs when the auditory system is stimulated. Sound normally travels from the beginning of your ear up to the auditory cortex in the brainstem. The nerves in the body responsible for responding to sound stimuli will be activated and electrodes placed on your skin during the test record this neural activity. This neural response is represented by a series of waves that the audiologist can see on a computer screen. Based on the quality of the waveforms and at what time interval they occur within, the audiologist will determine the test results to be normal, abnormal or inconclusive. The ABR test is typically recommended if there is suspicion that a growth may be present in the auditory system. On some occasions, a threshold ABR may be utilized if results from the hearing test (audiogram) are not reliable.
This test is performed in our Albany office and typically lasts about one hour (occasionally, a person may be scheduled for a “threshold ABR” which could take upwards of two hours). The test itself typically lasts 20 to 45 minutes while the remainder of the hour allows for time to set up the test and possibly go over the results. This test is scheduled by appointment only.