Scalp-Recorded Frequency-Following Responses in Neonates

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Abstract
Low-frequency tone bursts (250, 500 and 1000 Hz) were used to elicit frequency-following responses (FFR) from full-term, healthy human neonates. Easily identifiable FFR were recorded from healthy babies with stimulation of low-to-moderate levels (30-45 dB HLn [normal hearing level]). The amplitude and threshold values of neonatal FFR were not significantly different from those of normally hearing adults. Neonatal FFR elicited by tone burst stimuli of 250 and 500 Hz were of greater amplitude and were observed at lower stimulus levels than FFR recorded at higher frequency stimuli. At stimulus levels of 65 dB HLn, latency to the first peak in the FFR decreased as a function of increasing stimulus frequency. Neonatal FFR evoked by tone bursts of 250 and 500 Hz exhibited significantly longer latencies compared to FFR recordings obtained from adults. Low-frequency basilar membrane sensitivity in neonates may be assessed as early as the 1st day of life. The response properties of the FFR recorded from neonates were similar to the response properties of the FFR recorded from the adult. For infants who fail conventional brainstem-evoked response screening procedures and/or for infants who are born at risk, the FFR holds great promise as an assessment technique to determine the integrity of the low-frequency-sensitive regions of the cochlea and auditory brainstem.

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