Late Auditory evoked potentials in individuals with tinnitus.
Long latency auditory evoked potentials (LLAEP) alterations in individuals with tinnitus are suggestive of dysfunction in the central auditory pathways at a cortical level.


OBJECTIVE
To characterize the LLAEP in individuals with and without tinnitus exposed to occupational noise.


METHODS
Cross-sectional contemporary cohort, prospective study. Sixty subjects exposed to occupational noise, ranging in age from 29 to 50 years underwent LLAEP assessment; 30 of them had tinnitus complaint and 30 did not have tinnitus.


RESULTS
We observed significant statistical difference regarding the mean values of latencies of waves N1 (p<0.001), P2 (p=0.002) and P300 (p=0.039) when we compared individuals with and without tinnitus. In individuals with tinnitus we also noticed a greater number of altered results concerning components N1 (60%) and P2 (66.7%), although only component P2 presented significant statistical difference (p=0.010). For the LLAEP, the latency increase was the only type of alteration found (p=1.000). We found a greater association between bilateral tinnitus and bilateral alteration for all components N1(73%), P2(73%) and P300(50%).


CONCLUSIONS
It is relevant to study LLAEP in individuals with tinnitus exposed to high occupational sound pressure levels.
Santos Filha
Valdete Alves Valentins dos
VA
Speech and Hearing Therapy Program - Department of Physical Therapy, Speech and Hearing Therapy and Occupational Therapy of the Medical School of the University of São Paulo - FMUSP. valdetev@hotmail.com
Matas
Carla Gentile
CG
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018913:Event-Related Potentials, P300 / Q000502:physiology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*