Huber, Jonas; (2024) Rapid-FFR: Developing A New Method To Quickly Measure The Electrical Response To Sounds In The Auditory Brain Of Children And Adults. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

The frequency-following response (FFR) is an electrophysiological measure that evaluates phase- locking activity in the auditory pathway of the brain and has been under investigation for over 50 years. Originating predominantly in the basal areas of the cochlea, it subsequently reaches the brainstem, particularly the inferior colliculus, which is considered the primary generator of the FFR response. FFRs are typically recorded in response to the repetitive presentation of stimuli, which can range from 40 to 150 milliseconds and occasionally extend up to 2 seconds. These stimuli are interspersed with periods of silence, resulting in the acquisition of a reliable FFR taking up to 30 minutes, with approximately 2000-3000 repetitions of the stimulus. In our new approach, the ”Rapid FFR,” we propose continuous presentation of a stimulus, eliminating interstimulus silent intervals. We then average across a single cycle of the response, resulting in a more time-effective data collection. Preliminary results indicate up to a threefold reduction in acquisition time with our new approach (depending upon the stimuli) while maintaining comparable signal strength to the conventional technique. Recognising that the FFR can provide important insights into an individual’s auditory processing, our proposal holds significant implications for rapidly assessing auditory pathway disorders such as synaptopathy, to which the FFR has shown sensitivity. FFR responses have also been associated with linguistic deprivation, autism, concussions, and reading and learning impairments. Notably, our technique can have a substantial impact on populations where longer recording sessions can be challenging, such as in infants. Within this thesis, we undertake a comprehensive exploration of several topics: 1. Feasibility in Normal Hearing Adults: Assessing the applicability of the rapid FFR approach in the normal hearing adult population, comparing its efficacy to the conventional FFR method. 2. Extension to Ecologically Valid Sounds: Extending the rapid technique to include synthetic fundamental-frequency-modulated complex sounds and formant-changing ones that mimic speech, offering a more ecologically valid representation compared to previously explored steady-state sounds. 3. Rapid FFR in Infants: Presenting results of the rapid FFR in both steady-state and dynamic stimuli with infants aged between 3 months and 6 months.

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