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Studies on pediatric patients with absent auditory brainstem response (ABR) later components
1National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health, Chiba, Japan.
Brain & Development
|January 1, 1990
Summary
Pediatric patients with abnormal auditory brainstem responses (ABR) often exhibit severe neurological deficits. Missing later ABR waves indicates significant brainstem and neurological dysfunction in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neurophysiology
- Auditory Neuroscience
Background:
- Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) is crucial for assessing auditory pathway function.
- ABR abnormalities can indicate underlying neurological conditions in children.
- Limited components of ABR (wave I or I-II) suggest significant neural pathway disruption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with limited ABR components (wave I or I-II).
- To determine the incidence of such ABR abnormalities in a pediatric population.
- To correlate ABR findings with neurological status and diagnoses.
Main Methods:
- Clinical analysis of eleven pediatric patients with specific ABR patterns.
- Review of audiological and neurological examination data.
- Calculation of the incidence of ABR abnormalities in 1,650 pediatric patients.
Main Results:
- The incidence of wave I or I-II ABR abnormality was 0.67% in the studied pediatric cohort.
- All eleven patients presented with severe mental retardation.
- Nine patients had convulsions, eight showed mental/motor deterioration, and seven had disturbed consciousness, including four in coma.
Conclusions:
- Limited ABR components (wave I or I-II) in pediatric patients are associated with severe neurological impairments.
- These findings highlight the significance of later ABR waves for assessing brainstem and broader neurological function.
- Patients lacking later ABR components often display profound neurological abnormalities beyond the brainstem.