Speech Science Forum - Jonas Huber

The Frequency-Following Response (FFR) serves as an electrophysiological metric, assessing the auditory brainstem's phase-locking ability. Traditionally, FFR data collection involves repetitive sound stimulation interspersed with silences, resulting in a time-intensive process. In our new "Rapid FFR" approach, we deviate from the convention in two ways: Firstly, we adopt a continuous stimulus presentation, eliminating interstimulus intervals. Additionally, we employ averaging across a single cycle of the response, enhancing the efficiency of data collection. Preliminary results show that we achieve a threefold reduction in acquisition time using the Rapid FFR while preserving signal strength.

The implications of this advancement are particularly noteworthy for conditions that the FFR appears to be sensitive to, including synaptopathy, linguistic deprivation, autism, concussions, and learning impairments. Significantly, the technique proves beneficial for challenging populations such as infants, where extended recording sessions are impractical. This talk explores the rapid FFR's feasibility in normal hearing adults, compares its efficacy to traditional methods, extends it to ecologically valid sounds resembling speech, and presents results in infants aged 3 to 6 months, demonstrating its broad applicability and potential impact on diverse populations.

This event will be hosted online as well: https://ucl.zoom.us/j/99250674551?pwd=bThCckVUdzEzZGY3dkNRekxsM3oxUT09