Abstract
Brainstem auditory evoked potential is a physiological technique for evaluation of auditory pathway. A number of electrical potentials can be recorded from the human scalp following acoustic stimulation. The potentials which occur within 10 msec of the stimulus onset termed the brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs). Latency appears to be the most stable measure and in consequence knowledge of the exact limits of normal latency of each wave is important. Since age effects on central conduction time in the acoustic pathway are still debated, the following study was conducted to investigate possible age differences in BAEP component latencies in different age groups. BAEP were elicited from seventy five normoacoustic male subjects aged from 11-60 years. The recorded results are grouped according to patients age ranges of 11-20 (15), 21-30 (15), 31-40 (15), 41-50 (15) and 51-60 (15) years. The absolute peak latency of waves I, III & V and interpeak latency of wave’s I-III, III-V & I-V in various age groups are analyzed. The data collected from both ears showed that increase in age will cause an increase in peak latency and interpeak latency values of all waves. Significant changes in the BAEPs in our study support the possible role of age as contributory factors for normal variations.
Highlights
Sohmer and Feinmesser (1967) were the first to publish auditory brainstem response recorded with surface electrodes in humans which showed that cochlear potentials obtained noninvasively.[1]
The data collected from both ears showed that increase in age will cause an increase in peak latency and interpeak latency values of all waves
Our study is comparable with the findings of previous one: Rowe (1978) found all seven peaks of the brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) increased in older than in young person’s 15
Summary
Sohmer and Feinmesser (1967) were the first to publish auditory brainstem response recorded with surface electrodes in humans which showed that cochlear potentials obtained noninvasively.[1]. BAEPs are the electrical activities resulting from the activation of the eighth nerve, cochlear nucleus, tracts and nuclei of the lateral lemniscus and inferior colliculus.[4] The clinical applications of BAEP consist of identification of neurological abnormalities in the VIIIth nerve & auditory pathways of brainstem and the estimation of hearing sensitivity It is a measure of neural synchrony of the time-locked, onsetsensitive, single-unit activity in the auditory nerve and the brainstem.[5] Stimuli with a very rapid onset are used to elicit synchronous discharge of a large number of neurons occurring during the first 10 msec after the presentation of the stimulus.[6] The clinical and experimental interest created by the discovery of these potentials is based on the presumed correlation of each peak with specific brainstem structures.[7] The stability and reproduceability of the BAEP, especially peak latencies, make it potentially useful in diagnosing hearing disorders and detecting brainstem lesions, demyelinating diseases, and possibly dementia.[8] The BAEP represents the early phases of the auditory evoked response and provide information about sensory functioning & integrity of the nervous system. By the age of 2 years, the ranges for adults are reached, the absolute latencies of wave I, III, V increase by IJBR 3[06] [2012]271‐276
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