Auditory brainstem responses as a biomarker for cognition
Author Information
Author(s): Hamza Yasmeen, Yang Ye, Vu Janie, Abdelmalek Antoinette, Malekifar Mobina, Barnes Carol A., Zeng Fan-Gang
Primary Institution: University of California Irvine
Hypothesis
Can auditory brainstem responses (ABR) be associated with cognitive function in humans, similar to findings in aging macaques?
Conclusion
Auditory brainstem responses are associated with cognitive performance, especially in older individuals and for language-dependent cognitive functions.
Supporting Evidence
- The study confirmed previous findings in aging macaques regarding the association between ABR and cognitive function.
- ABR wave V amplitude was found to be effective in detecting good cognitive performers.
- ABR wave V latency was effective in detecting poor cognitive performers.
- The association between ABR and cognition persisted even after adjusting for age.
- Age was found to be a significant factor influencing cognitive performance.
Takeaway
This study found that how your brain responds to sounds can help tell how well you think, especially as you get older.
Methodology
The study measured auditory brainstem responses and cognitive performance in 118 adults across different age groups.
Limitations
The study did not directly address mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease and did not consider other important variables like sex and education.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 66 females with ages ranging from 18 to 92 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.020; p=0.021
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 0.018–0.202; 95% CI, -0.186– -0.016
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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