Association Between Sex and Speech Auditory Brainstem Responses in Adults, and Relationship to Sex Hormone Levels

: BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the association between sex and speech-ABR in adults, and its relationship to sex hormone levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS Speech-ABR were elicited with the consonant-vowel syllable (/da/) in a total of 35 adults. Reproductive hormone levels were also measured. RESULTS The transient response of the speech-ABR (waves V, A, and O) in females show a shorter latency (waves V, A and O) and a larger amplitude (waves V and A) than in males (P 0.05). The sustained response of females exhibited a larger amplitude (wave F, P 0.05). The latencies of speech-ABR were positively correlated with testosterone level (P 0.05). The E2 showed a positive correlation with the absolute value of amplitude of the speech-ABR (P 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Sex differences in speech-ABR are significant in adults. The latencies and amplitude of the speech-ABR waves were correlated with the E2 concentration and testosterone level. The sex hormones likely affect speech encoding in the brainstem.