title: Mapped auditory evoked potentials before and after interferon treatment.
abstract: Neurotoxicity induced by interferon (IFN) is revealed by neurobehavioral changes, such as irritability, somnolence, lack of motivation, and delayed ideation. As these side effects persist throughout IFN-alpha treatment, we studied cerebral mapped auditory evoked potentials (MAEP) in 20 hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV Ab)-positive chronic active hepatitis patients before and after administration of leukocyte IFN-alpha (i.m. 3,000,000 IU). Some of the main components of MAEP, such as morphology, latency, and power spectra, were altered before IFN injection. These parameters changed 7 h after administration as revealed by increased quality and quantity of acoustic signal reaching the brain cortex and appearance of physiologic waves in patients with mild/intermediate liver disease. These effects revealed 48 h after IFN administration.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine and Geriatry, University of Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malaguarnera
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pistone
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Trovato
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siciliano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marletta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motta
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Restuccia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marletta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D016898:Interferon-alpha