Concept for the objective measurement of subjective uncomfortable threshold using EEG

Background and Objectives The fitting of hearing aids and cochlear implants to meet the needs of patients is crucial for the success of hearing rehabilitation. This fitting is usually based on the subjective feedback from patients, reflecting their assessments of the perceived loudness of acoustic. However, in certain patient groups, obtaining reliable feedback is challenging for various reasons. The presented study aims to capture objective electroencephalography (EEG) parameters and correlate them with subjective loudness ratings.

Methodology This study involved normally hearing adults. Participants were exposed to acoustic stimuli at different sound levels. After the presentation of the acoustic stimulus, participants rated the subjectively perceived loudness using a continuous scale on a touchscreen. Simultaneously, brain activity was recorded using EEG. The study's hypothesis suggests that stimuli with different perceived loudness ratings induce modulation in event-related brain potentials (ERPs).

Results The results of the study indicate a connection between the P300 component, an event-related potential with a latency of 300 ms in the EEG, and the subjective perception of loudness. These differences are significant and observable both at the individual level and in the so-called Grand Average.

Conclusion Overall, clear changes in event-related potentials were identified depending on the perceived loudness rating. The most pronounced modulations were observed in the P300 component. This allows for the objectification of the discomfort threshold and could, in the future, after verification through further clinical studies, be used as an objective parameter for adjusting technical hearing aids.

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Artikel online veröffentlicht:
19. April 2024