title: Evoked potentials in infant brainstem syndrome associated with Arnold-Chiari malformation.
abstract: This study evaluated the contribution of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and median nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to the assessment of brainstem dysfunction in infants with myelomeningocele and Arnold-Chiari malformation. 16 infants under one year of age were studied. Six had infant brainstem syndrome (IBS). 11 had abnormally prolonged I-V interwave latency (brainstem transmission time, BSTT); BSTT did not differentiate those patients with and without IBS. The cortical 'N20' component of the median-nerve SEPs was absent or had low amplitude and prolonged latency in all six patients with clinical signs of brainstem dysfunction and in four without. Median-nerve SEPs were normal in the patients without IBS. There was a significant difference between patients with and without IBS. Median-nerve SEPs may be a helpful measure of brainstem function in infants with Arnold-Chiari malformation.
authors.affiliation: George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Barnet
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shaer
mesh_terms: D001139:Arnold-Chiari Malformation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007040:Hypoventilation / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology