Auditory Brainstem Response (BERA) recording is a test that records bioelectrical activity arising in the upper levels of the auditory pathway (in the brainstem) in response to auditory stimuli administered to the ear. Recording auditory brainstem evoked potentials is the most popular non-invasive hearing test.

Record auditory brainstem evoked potentials (ABR, BERA)tohearing test , which is used in both screening and diagnostic. It allows you to detect hearing damage in the area of ​​the middle ear, cochlea, auditory nerve and brainstem.

Recording of auditory brainstem evoked potentials: indications

  • suspected hearing impairment in infants and young children
  • suspicion of a static-auditory nerve tumor
  • suspected simulation of deafness or hearing loss
  • monitoring the course of selected neurosurgical operations

Before ABR test

Babies and children should be examined in advance by a pediatrician, otolaryngologist, neurologist, psychologist. Adults usually have an earlier physical otolaryngological examination, subjective hearing examination (i.e., tonal threshold examination, supra-threshold tests, verbal audiometry) as well as vestibular examination. In some cases, a neurological examination and a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head are performed.

Recording of auditory brainstem evoked potentials: workflow

The examination is safe, it takes about an hour. Silence is required during the examination, the subject is not allowed to chew or swallow, and his eyes are closed to reduce visual stimuli. In young children, the test is most often performed after feeding, during sleep, or under general anesthesia.

The doctor places three electrodes on the patient's head - the active electrode on the forehead, the ground electrode on the mastoid process of the examined ear, and the reference electrode on the mastoid process of the opposite ear. The electrodes are connected to the preamplifier, which is then connected to the amplifier, filter bank, headphones and the computer. The computer records the responses, averaging the electrical potential values, and saves themresults.

Correct answers recorded by the computer testify to the proper functioning of the auditory pathway down to the level of the brainstem. They inform not only about the hearing threshold, but also about conductivity in the structures of the nervous system. It is useful in the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), as well as in looking for proliferative processes within the auditory nerve or nerve pathways.

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