PURPOSE: this study aimed to characterize brain stem auditory evoked potential and long latency auditory evoked potential in patients that suffered head trauma. METHOD: transverse clinical study performed on twenty normal hearing individuals divided in two groups paired for age and gender: a) ten individuals who suffered head trauma (trauma group); and b) ten individuals with no type of neurological alteration (control group). The individuals underwent a basic hearing evaluation as well as brain stem auditory evoked potential and long latency auditory evoked potential (P300) tests. RESULTS: on the brain stem auditory evoked potential, more prolonged absolute latencies of Waves I, III and V and the I-III inter-peak interval were found in the trauma group in comparison with the control group, with statistically significant differences with regard to the absolute latencies of Waves I and III in the right ear and both Wave III and the I-III inter-peak interval in the left ear. The amplitude of Waves I, III and V in the right ear and Waves III and V in the left ear were higher in the control group. Regarding P300, the trauma group displayed greater latency and lesser amplitude in both ears comparing with the control group, with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: individuals that suffered head trauma display alterations in the brain stem auditory evoked potential and do not display significant differences with regard to long latency auditory evoked potential (P300) when compared to individuals with no brain injury.
Auditory Evoked Potentials; Hearing; Brain Injuries
