ABR

What is an Auditory Brainstem Response?
The Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) is an objective test that can be used to estimate hearing sensitivity and to identify neurological abnormalities of the auditory nerve and the auditory pathway up through the brainstem.

What can I, as the patient, expect at my appointment?
After the audiologist places electrodes on your ear lobes and forehead, earphones are placed in your ear to deliver the click stimulus. You do not need to respond to the click but you will sit in a reclined position and are instructed to lay as relaxed as possible with your eyes closed throughout the test.

What does the ABR measure?
As the clicks are delivered through the earphones, the electrodes measure the electrical activity from the auditory pathway. These electrical responses are analyzed by the computer and produce a waveform. The different peaks on the resulting waveform provide information on the time it takes various structures of the auditory pathway to respond following the stimulus.