Positive auditory cortical responses in patients with absent brainstem response.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the detectability of the different auditory evoked responses in patients with retrocochlear lesion.

METHODS

The 40-Hz auditory steady state response (ASSR) and the N1m auditory cortical response were examined by magnetoencephalography in 4 patients with vestibular schwannoma, in whom the auditory brainstem response (ABR) was absent.

RESULTS

Apparent N1m responses were observed despite total absence of the ABR or absence except for small wave I in all patients, although the latency of N1m was delayed in most patients. On the other hand, clear ASSFs could be observed only in one patient. Very small 40-Hz ASSFs could be detected in 2 patients (amplitude less than 1fT), but no apparent ASSFs were observed in one patient, in whom maximum speech intelligibility was extremely low and the latency of N1m was most prolonged.

CONCLUSION

The N1m response and 40-Hz ASSR could be detected in patients with absent ABR, but the N1m response appeared to be more detectable than the 40-Hz ASSR.

SIGNIFICANCE: Combined assessment with several different evoked responses may be useful to evaluate the disease conditions of patients with retrocochlear lesions.