The Cognitive P300 Auditory Event-Related Potential: a Method to assess Bimodal Benefit?

Background The unexplained variability in bimodal outcome impedes clinicians to provide evidence-based counseling regarding contralateral hearing aid (HA) use. There is thus a need for measures of bimodal benefit. This study explores whether bimodal benefit can be assessed using the P300 event-related potential (ERP). Methods Cognitive P300 ERPs were recorded in five bimodal listeners using a low-frequency tonal contrast. Subjects counted the amount of deviant stimuli. The accuracy of the count served as a measure of behavioral performance. To assess the benefit of wearing a contralateral HA, CI-only and bimodal listening were compared. Results P300 ERPs were measurable and reproducible in four subjects. In these subjects, latencies decreased and amplitudes increased in bimodal versus CI-only listening. The subject with the largest improvement in the P300 ERP showed the largest improvement in behavioral performance. Conclusions This study suggests that CI-users generally benefit from wearing a contralateral HA in order to discriminate low-frequency tonal contrasts. In addition, these preliminary data suggest that the P300 ERP may be a valuable technique to objectify the benefit from wearing a contralateral HA.

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