A cross sectional study of effects of mobile phone exposure on Brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA)

Abstract

Human physiology creates a framework for understanding how the human body adapts to stresses, physical activity and disease. Best example is usage of mobile phones for daily routine. An attempt was made to study the effect of exposure to mobile phone on functions of ear. Hence, the objective of our study was to find out the effects of exposure of mobile phones on BERA in mobile phone users for long time. 18–30 years aged 100 normal healthy volunteers were considered for the study. Two groups of 50 each participant, who used mobile phones for 4 years for 60 minutes in each day and who used mobile phones since a year for 60 minutes per day respectively. Concise click acoustic stimuli alternating in polarity were presented by an earphone on the ear with 40 and 90 dB intensities. Recording of peak BERA latencies (I, III and V) and calculation of interpeak latency I - V were done. Analysis reveals significant prolongation of latencies in wave III and wave V in Group I participants and also significant prolongation of inter peak latency I - V in Group I participants. On comparison of various latencies of BERA in participants of both the groups, in Group I, a significant increase in latencies of the wave III and V was observed. This damage to the ear can be at various levels of auditory pathway and can be proportional to the amount and duration of exposure. Keywords: BERA, Interpeak latencies, Auditory pathway.