BSER abnormalities in patients with spino-cerebellar degeneration

The short latency auditory electrical response (BSER) was evaluated in 15 patients suffering from spino-cerebellar atrophy (SCA). All patients had normal hearing and presented with various degrees of neurological involvement. BSER findings along with clinical symptoms furnished the following grouping of results: 1 Patients with recent and mild symptomatology showed excellent intratest stability, normal III-V and prolonged I-V and I-III interpeak values. 2 Patients with severe symptoms dating back 10-15 y showed low intratest stability, prolonged latency of waves I, III and V, along with remarkably lengthened I-III and III-V interpeak intervals. 3 Patients with moderate to severe symptoms, dating back 10-15 yr showed good stability, absence of wave II and IV, abnormally long I-III intervals and reduced III-V intervals.