Evaluating the Auditory and Vestibular Functions of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Objective: Multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, is characterized by weakness of the arms and legs, sensory symptoms, ataxia, fatigue, diplopia, memory, concentration, attention disorder, and motor speech disorder. Common symptoms include epileptic seizures, cognitive impairment, hearing loss, and cortical symptoms. Materials and Methods: This study evaluated patients' mental functions with multiple sclerosis (MS) by considering their auditory and vestibular functions. A total of 30 patients, 15 healthy and 15 diseased, were recruited. In contrast, the experimental group consisted of individuals diagnosed with MS who had not had an attack for the last two months, over the age of 18, under the age of 60, and with similar characteristics in terms of gender. The audiological and vestibular tests on the experimental and patient groups were applied and the data obtained from these two groups were compared. Impedance audiometry test was performed on patients simultaneously. Result: The data obtained from our study, significant results were obtained for the right and left ears of MS patients to whom we applied the pure tone audiometry test. In the ABR test, unilateral hearing loss was observed in seven patients. In the VHIT test, while the VOR gains of 9 MS patients were outside the normal limits, the VOR gains of one patient in the left lateral canal were low. In the VEMP test, the wave latencies of 12 patients in the patient group were delayed, and the two patients' left-side P1 and N1 waveforms were not observed.