Auditory sensory deprivation and its relation with auditory evoked potentials of long latency

Abstract

Objective: To verify whether auditory sensory deprivation time of up to five years, in individuals with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss may influence the Long-Latency Auditory Evoked Potential (LLAEP) responses. Methods: Prospective, cross-sectional, and quantitative study. Were assessed 14 subjects, aged 52 to 76 years, with symmetric mild or moderate sensorineural hearing loss, who were waiting for a hearing aid program and had between two and five years of auditory sensory deprivation. For the presentation of the LLAEP, verbal stimuli were used and the potentials N1, P2 and P300 were analyzed. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 63.5 years and the time of hearing deprivation was 3.3 years. There was a difference between the number of normal and altered subjects for N1, with a higher number of normal individuals, whereas for P2 and P300 there was no difference. When comparing the normal and altered outcome in the potentials with age and time of deprivation, there was no significant difference. Conclusion: The time of hearing deprivation between two and five years in individuals with mild or moderate sensorineural hearing loss did not influence the results of the LLAEP.