Detection functions for the human auditory brainstem response.

Abstract

Previously obtained data characterizing the auditory brainstem response near the threshold for detection in 10 normal-hearing subjects are used to evaluate the detection method applied. The basic detection formula is described in terms of rates of true positive and false positive ABR detection and in combination with the normative ABR values used to calculate the ABR detection functions as well as the corresponding receiver operating characteristics (ROC curves). The observed distribution of the ABR-threshold levels is similar to that derived from the detection function, and therefore verifies the present results which are based partly on theoretical considerations.