Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Testing

The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is an evoked potential test that uses electrodes to record the auditory system’s response to sound as the signal passed from the inner ear to the brainstem.  Traditional ABRs are site-of-lesion testing that are shown to be sensitive to benign acoustic nerve tumors known as acoustic neuromas.  ABR testing can also be used to determine type and degree of hearing loss in infants and other difficult populations, as well as in newborn screenings and intraoperative monitoring.

During ABR testing, measurement takes place painlessly while the patient listens to loud clicks or tonal sounds in a dark environment.