[Auditory neuropathy--new disease].

Auditory neuropathy, a disorder of neural synchrony, is a retrocochlear hearing disorder identified by absence of auditory brainstem responses (ABR) and presence of evoked acoustic otoemissions (EOA). Registration of emissions shows normal function of external cilliary cells. Patients with auditory neuropathy have difficulties to understand speech especially in presence of beckground noise. Normal conversation requires the support of orofacial reading. The authors presents electrophysiological and behavioral tests useful in diagnostic process. An option in treatment of auditory neuropathy is cochlear implantation. Such treatment is indicated when conventional hearing aids doe not help to improve speech understanding.