BAEP and autopsy findings in Wallenberg syndrome

BAEPs were recorded in a 70-year-old man who had developed symptoms indicative of Wallenberg syndrome. He died, of extracerebral causes, shortly after hospitalization and an autopsy study was done on the brainstem lesions. Right ear stimulation disclosed BAEP abnormalities, but gave no indication of the level of the ischemic disorder. Histopathological examination showed a typical right dorsolateral medullary infarct. A detailed study of the acoustic pathways demonstrated their anatomical integrity. These findings confirm the uncertainty that still exists as to the exact location and type of generators of BAEP components. They suggest, moreover, that BAEPs can give objective evidence of functional impairment of brainstem acoustic structures even in the absence of persistent anatomical damage.