Feasibility of auditory event-related potential measurement in brain injury rehabilitation

Measurements of auditory event-related potentials (AERPs) from brain injury rehabilitation patients may provide information on neural function related to cognitive processes important to the recovery of social and intellectual skills. The present study investigated the feasibility of measuring AERPs from 50 brain injury rehabilitation inpatients at various stages of cognitive recovery including comatose to automatic-appropriate function. Patients from levels II through VII on the Rancho Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Function were studied. Results indicated that waveforms showing N1, P2, N2, and P3 components could be recorded from individual patients at each of the RLAS levels we studied, except level IV where only 1 patient was tested. However, considerable variability in waveforms was also observed at each scale level. No statistically significant relationships were demonstrated between AERP components and all other evoked potential, central auditory, and audiometric test results for 30 patients at RLAS level VII (automatic-appropriate). Overall results suggested a need for research focused on electrophysiologic and behavioral measures that can be used in conjunction to better describe auditory function and prognosis in brain injury patients.