Mismatch negativity in the neurophysiologic/behavioral evaluation of auditory processing deficits: A case study

Nina Kraus, Therese McGee, Jeanane Ferre, Jo Ann Hoeppner, Thomas Carrell, Anu Sharma, Trent Nicol

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

The subject of this case report is an 18 year-old woman with grossly abnormal auditory brain stem response (ABR), normal peripheral hearing, and specific behavioral auditory processing deficits. Auditory middle latency responses (MLRs) and cortical potentials NI, P2, and P300 were intact. The mismatch negativity (MMN) was normal in response to certain synthesized speech stimuli and impaired to others—consistent with her behavioral discrimination of these stimuli. Behavioral tests of auditory processing were consistent with auditory brain stem dysfunction. A neuropsychological evaluation revealed normal intellectual and academic performance. The subject was in her first year of college at the time of the evaluation. This case study is important because: (1) Although there have been saveral reports of absentdabnormal ABR with preserved peripheral hearing and deficits in auditory processing, little is known about the specific nature of the auditory deficits experienced by these individuals. Such information may be valuable to the clinical management of patients with this constellation of findings. (2) Of interest is the information that the mismatch negativity (MMN) cortical eventirelated potential can bring to the evaluation of patients with auditory processing deficits. The MMN reflects central auditory processing of small acoustic differences and may provide an objective measure of auditory discrimination. (3) From a theoretical standpoint, a patient with neural deficits affecting specific components of the auditory pathway provides insight into the relationship between evoked potentials and physiological mechanisms of auditory processing. How do various components of the auditory pathway contribute to speech discrimination? How might evoked potentials reflect the processes underlying the neural coding of specific features of speech stimuli such as timing and spectral cues?.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)223-235
Number of pages13
JournalEar and hearing
Volume14
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1993
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Speech and Hearing

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