Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

Cortical auditory-evoked potential (CAEP) can be used to assess the auditory pathway function in hearing aid users, but the optimal protocol remains unclear. This case report examined the influence of electrode montage on CAEP in an aided child with hearing impairment. A 10-year-old girl with moderate sensorineural hearing loss bilaterally (and were fitted with hearing aids at five years of age) underwent the aided CAEP testing using two electrode positions: T3 and vertex (Cz). Four speech stimuli (/ba/, /m/, /g/, and /t/) were presented to record CAEP waveforms. While both electrode positions revealed robust P1-N1-P2 and N2 responses, the Cz position revealed CAEP waveforms with better morphology. Furthermore, relative to the T3 position, the majority of CAEP peaks showed higher amplitudes for the Cz position. On the other hand, the latencies of most CAEP peaks were descriptively shorter for the T3 position. Collectively, the study findings suggest that the multi-electrode recording of CAEP would be the best approach in determining the intervention benefits; the Cz position confirms audibility, while the T3 position represents speech-language development. Tailoring the electrode montage of CAEP to differentiate sensory and cognitive processes provides a greater insight into the auditory status beyond audibility alone. The standard CAEP protocols should include midline and lateral electrodes to distinguish basic improvements from higher cognitive functions in guiding targeted rehabilitation needs.

Keywords: Cortical auditory-evoked potential, electrode montage, speech stimuli, multi-electrode recording, amplitude, latency