Human auditory evoked potentials recorded using maximum length sequences.

A maximum length sequence (MLS) is a specially constructed pseudorandom binary sequence that can be used to control the presentation of sensory stimuli. The evoked potentials to such a sequence of stimuli can be analyzed to give the response to one stimulus in the sequence. This procedure allows auditory evoked potentials to be recorded at stimulus rates that would cause a confusing overlap of responses with regular averaging. The MLS technique can be used with auditory evoked potentials at all latencies although it is most effective for the brain-stem and middle-latency responses. By demonstrating different refractory periods for different parts of the response, the technique may help delineate the component structure of the evoked potential. As well, an MLS analysis can disentangle the auditory brain-stem response from overlapping middle-latency responses during evoked potential audiometry.