[Effects of lobectomy on the auditory mid-latency response in temporal lobe epileptic patients].
OBJECTIVE
Auditory mid-latency response (MLR) has been studied in temporal lobe epileptic patients in order to evaluate the relationship between the different components of this evoked response and their probable generators in the most rostral part of auditory pathway.


METHODS
MLR was studied in eight patients with temporal lobe epilepsy before lobectomy, and 1, 6 and 12 months after the surgical treatment, and eight healthy subjects matched for age and gender. Recording electrodes were placed in Cz, T3 and T4 according to the international 10-20 system. Comparisons were carried out in terms of peak to peak amplitude, latency and interpeak intervals of the main components (Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon test).


RESULTS
Epileptic patients showed statistically significant prolonged latency of all components, and increased Pa-Pb interpeak interval duration respect to control group. No significant variations were found in the amplitude of the studied components. There were no differences between left and right lobotomized patients. However, a marked tendency to the shortening of latency was observed in the left group after the surgical treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The differences between the pre-surgical records of patients and controls reflect an impaired activity in the generating areas for MLR components. There appears to be a trend to a different behaviour after right or left lobectomy, probably related to the extension of the removed tissue.
Báez-Martín
M M
MM
Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica, Ciudad Habana, Cuba. minou@neuro.ciren.cu
Cabrera-Abreu
I
I
D000328:Adult; D038481:Anterior Temporal Lobectomy; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011930:Reaction Time