Introduction: This study aims to compare the binaural interaction component of auditory brainstem response (ABR-BIC) between children with stuttering and normal peers, and to correlate ABR-BIC parameters with stuttering severity instrument -3.
Patients and Methods: Twenty Stuttering children, diagnosed according to the criteria of stuttering severity instrument -3, and 20 normal age and gender matched peers were included. Click evoked ABRs were recorded through right monaural, left monaural and binaural stimulation at 80 dBnHL in both study groups. ABR-BIC was calculated as the difference between the binaurally evoked ABR response and the algebraic sum of the left and right monaural responses, and ABR-BIC parameters were measured.
Results: ABR-BIC latency and duration were significantly prolonged in the stuttering group compared to the control group, while ABR-BIC amplitude and area under the curve (AUC) were comparable. Also, ABR-BIC amplitude and AUC were significantly correlated with stuttering severity.
Conclusion: The results of this study point to impaired timing and reduced overall magnitude of binaural interaction at the brainstem level in stuttering children.