Evidence for wave-specific effects of click duration on auditory brainstem responses: Modeling and experimental validation.

The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is widely used to assess auditory function, yet the effects of click duration on ABR morphology remain unclear. Using a spiking neuronal network model of the auditory brainstem, we simulated responses to clicks ranging from 0.1 to 2 ms. The model predicted that prolonged click duration selectively alters wave V, while earlier waves (I-IV) remain stable. We validated these predictions with ABR recordings from Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) under matched stimulus conditions, confirming that the wave V amplitude and the wave IV-V interval changed systematically with longer clicks. These results suggest that early ABR waves, generated by auditory nerve and lower brainstem nuclei, primarily reflect onset synchrony and are insensitive to temporal broadening, whereas wave V, originating from higher brainstem structures such as the inferior colliculus, reflects temporal integration and is selectively influenced by stimulus envelope. Results from this combined modeling and experimental approach clarify the role of click duration in shaping ABR morphology, and additionally validate the predictive power of the modeling approach.