Brain Stem Auditory Evoked Potentials In Patients with Epilepsy

Abstract

The latencies and amplitudes of Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials were recorded in 40 patients, suffer from idiopathic generalized epilepsy which was poorly controlled, and 40 age and sex matched non epileptic controls to find out subclinical involvement of the cochlear nerve and retrocochlear auditory pathway in epilepsy. The absolute latencies of waves 1 - V were significantly prolonged in epilepsy (P<0.05). The interpeak latencies 1 - III and I - V were also increased significantly (P<0.05). There was non-significant correlation of all the latencies and amplitudes with duration of diseases, frequency of seizures and duration of diseases, frequency of seizures and duration of treatment. Further studies are suggested in which plasma drug level of anti-convulsant drugs should be included to differentiate the effects on BAEP. It is concluded that epilepsy has a depressant effect on peripheral and central auditory conduction.