[Brain stem auditory evoked potentials and chronic alcoholism]

Brain-stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) were obtained from 25 chronic alcoholic patients. The patients had been drinking heavily for an average of 15 years and a minimum of 5 years. All patients were totally abstinent for a minimum of 3 weeks. The morphology of waves were often altered. All presented prolonged I-III, III-V, inter-peak latencies (IPLs) and a loss of amplitude of wave V. The I-III, III-V and I-VIPLs were increased between 30 and 40 years, and III-V and I-VIPLs between 40 and 50 years. The incidence of abnormal BAEPs in patients with alcoholic epilepsy was not different from that of patients without a history of alcoholic seizures. Patients with clinical manifestations of alcoholic polyneuropathy had the highest incidence of abnormal BAEPs. BAEPs are more reliable in chronic alcoholic patients than EEG. The mechanisms of the increase in neural transmission time within the auditory brain-stem are discussed.