The Influence of Sensation Level on Speech-Evoked Envelope Following Responses.

Objectives: To evaluate sensation level (SL)-dependent characteristics of envelope following responses (EFRs) elicited by band-limited speech dominant in low, mid, and high frequencies.

Design: In 21 young normal hearing adults, EFRs were elicited by 8 male-spoken speech stimuli-the first formant, and second and higher formants of /u/, /a/ and /i/, and modulated fricatives, /∫/ and /s/. Stimulus SL was computed from behaviorally measured thresholds.

The Accuracy of Envelope Following Responses in Predicting Speech Audibility.

Objectives: The present study aimed to (1) evaluate the accuracy of envelope following responses (EFRs) in predicting speech audibility as a function of the statistical indicator used for objective response detection, stimulus phoneme, frequency, and level, and (2) quantify the minimum sensation level (SL; stimulus level above behavioral threshold) needed for detecting EFRs.

Design: In 21 participants with normal hearing, EFRs were elicited by 8 band-limited phonemes in the male-spoken token /susa∫i/ (2.05 sec) presented between 20 and 65 dB SPL in 15 dB increments.

Time course of cochlear injury discharge (excitotoxicity) determined by ABR monitoring of contralateral cochlear events.

The dynamics of cochlear excitotoxicity can be monitored from effects on the contralateral ear. After unilateral mechanical ablation of the cochlea (in a mouse model) we observed immediate elevations in auditory brainstem evoked response (ABR) thresholds in the contralateral ear. Threshold elevations peaked at 2-3 h post ablation, and returned to baseline levels after 5-6 h.

Contralateral ear occlusion for improving the reliability of otoacoustic emission screening tests.

Newborn hearing screening is an established healthcare standard in many countries and testing is feasible using otoacoustic emission (OAE) recording. It is well documented that OAEs can be suppressed by acoustic stimulation of the ear contralateral to the test ear. In clinical otoacoustic emission testing carried out in a sound attenuating booth, ambient noise levels are low such that the efferent system is not activated.

A interdisciplinary community partnership for health professional students: a service-learning approach.

This paper presents a qualitative approach to studying the reflective learning experiences of health professional students after they participate in an interdisciplinary community-based healthcare course. Over a 2-year period, health professional students from various health-related disciplines voluntarily took an interdisciplinary community-based health course offered at an urban, mid-Atlantic, private university. Through didactic and experiential opportunities, students in the course learned the importance of providing health care services to underserved populations at urban community-based sites.