Early Auditory Evoked Potentials (EAEP) in Children with Neoplastic Lesions in the Brain Stem

Abstract

There are three groups of potentials evoked by an auditory stimulus: a very early series (early auditory evoked potentials — EAEP) in the initial 10 milliseconds (ms), a consistent middle latency sequence (8 to 40 ms) and the larger and longer latency “vertex-potentials” (50–300 ms) [6]. The shorter the latency of the waves the better the knowledge about their neural generators. The EAEP reflect the progressive activation of the auditory nerve and the brain stem auditory tracts and nuclei: cochlea and acoustic nerve (wave I), medulla oblongata (wave II), caudal pons (wave III), rostral pons (wave IV) and midbrain (wave V). EAEP are easily recorded from subjects of any age. Nearly all children are cooperative and tolerate wearing earphones and four EEG-electrodes glued on the scalp, and rest quietly during stimulation.