This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Studies of Waveform Variations in 50 Normal Human Subjects

Keith H. Chiappa, MD; Karen J. Gladstone; Robert R. Young, MD

Arch Neurol. 1979;36(2):81-87.

Abstract
• Brain stem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) were recorded in 50 normal adult subjects at various click rates. Attention was paid to absolute latencies, interwave latencies, interear interwave latencies, absolute amplitudes, and various amplitude ratios. The variability of waves VI and VII suggests that the clinical utility of these waves is restricted—their absence is not necessarily due to a CNS lesion. The wave IV-V complex appears with six different patterns and wave III with two different patterns. These variations must therefore be considered normal; none should be misconstrued as indicative of disease of the CNS. Repeated studies over a period of two to nine months showed no statistically significant changes in amplitude or latency measurements with the passage of time. Knowledge of these normal values and their variations, as a precondition for establishing criteria for abnormality, is essential to the interpretation of BAERs in clinical situations.

Author Affiliations
From the Robert S. Schwab Computer Facility, Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, and the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication March 19, 1978.

Reprint requests to EEG Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 (Dr Chiappa).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Longitudinal Study of Auditory Brain-Stem Response in Patients With Minor Head Injuries
Schoenhuber et al.
Arch Neurol 1987;44:1181-1182.
ABSTRACT  

Auditory Evoked Responses in Multiple Sclerosis: Wave I Abnormality
Verma and Lynn
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1985;111:22-24.
ABSTRACT  

Serial Evoked Potential Studies in Patients With Definite Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical Relevance
Aminoff et al.
Arch Neurol 1984;41:1197-1202.
ABSTRACT  

Auditory Brain-Stem Evoked Potentials in Bell's Palsy
Uri et al.
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1984;110:301-304.
ABSTRACT  

Multimodality Evoked Potentials and Neurophysiological Tests in Multiple Sclerosis: Effects of Hyperthermia on Test Results
Phillips et al.
Arch Neurol 1983;40:159-164.
ABSTRACT  

Auditory Brainstem Responses in Postconcussion Syndrome
Noseworthy et al.
Arch Neurol 1981;38:275-278.
ABSTRACT  

Effects of Age and Sex on Auditory Brainstem Response
Jerger and Hall
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1980;106:387-391.
ABSTRACT  

Brainstem Auditory-Evoked Responses: Normal Variation as a Function of Stimulus and Subject Characteristics
Stockard et al.
Arch Neurol 1979;36:823-831.
ABSTRACT  

Brain-stem Auditory-Evoked Responses
Stockard et al.
Arch Neurol 1979;36:598-597.
ABSTRACT