The Auditory Steady-State Response: Generation, Recording, and Clinical Application

From The Critics

Reviewer: Ryan McCreery, M.S.(Boys Town National Research Hospital)
Description: This is one of the first books dedicated entirely to the topic of obtaining and interpreting auditory steady-state response (ASSR) evoked potentials. Researchers who have contributed to the literature on ASSR author chapters designed to provide clinicians with a detailed overview of procedures and interpretation of results.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide a comprehensive overview of the anatomical and physiological bases of the ASSR, as well as clinical research to support its implementation. Given that ASSR is being used as a hearing assessment clinically and that there has been a lack of books on the topic, this one is an important resource. Overall, the authors succeed in providing an excellent foundation for clinicians and students interested in learning more about ASSR.
Audience: According to the editor, the book is designed for clinicians, students, and researchers who wish to expand their knowledge about ASSR evaluation and interpretation. It is appropriate for audiologists and researchers in the hearing sciences, as well as doctoral students with a particular interest in evoked potentials. The editor and contributing authors manage to provide a resource which is appropriate in scope and depth for this varied audience.
Features: This is a comprehensive overview of the theoretical and clinical aspects of ASSR evoked potentials. The initial chapters cover the previous research that led to the clinical application of ASSR in the assessment of hearing and the underlying anatomy and physiology of the response. Further chapters provide detailed analyses of the clinical application of the ASSR, including estimating behavioral thresholds, use of bone conduction stimulation to elicit ASSR, and applying results for use infants and young children. Of particular interest is the discussion of the potential for using ASSR as a verification technique for hearing aids and cochlear implants, which are exciting applications for ASSR where research is only starting to emerge. Given that several recent studies have demonstrated that ASSR responses may be susceptible to response artifacts at high intensity stimulation levels, more time could have been dedicated to the clinical implications of these findings. While the authors discuss potential response artifacts in the second chapter, the topic was not included in sections on applying results to hearing aid fitting or using ASSR to estimate behavioral hearing thresholds.
Assessment: The contributors to this book have created an overview of the current research and best practices for using ASSR for a wide audience. Clinicians and researchers who use ASSR in their practice will find this book particularly useful.