[Study of auditive evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Audiology

Context:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system.
• Brainstem lesions are common in MS and can cause various neurological deficits.

Purpose:

• To evaluate the utility of brainstem evoked response audiometry (BSERA) in diagnosing multiple sclerosis.
• To determine the prevalence of BSERA abnormalities in MS patients.

Summary:

• BSERA was studied in 34 MS patients. Abnormalities were found in 73.5% of cases.
• Specific patterns, including loss of synchronisation in higher brainstem waves (N4, N5), are indicative of MS.
• In definite MS cases (n=24), 79.2% showed abnormal BSERA.
• In patients with clinically evident brainstem lesions (n=31), 74.2% had abnormal BSERA.
• BSERA identified potential lesions in 2 out of 3 patients without clinical signs of brainstem involvement, suggesting subclinical pathology.

Impact:

• BSERA serves as a valuable tool for detecting brainstem involvement in multiple sclerosis.
• It aids in confirming MS diagnosis, particularly in cases with subclinical or non-reactive lesions.