Autism and auditory brain stem responses
Abstract
In Brief Objective To study a controversy that has been discussed for more than two decades: whether or not children with autism have abnormalities affecting the cochlear nerve or the auditory pathway in the brain stem and, if so, to describe these abnormalities. Design A group of 153 children and adolescents with autistic disorder were included in an investigation of auditory brain stem responses (ABR). Two thirds of this group, 101 individuals (75 boys, 26 girls), had normal hearing and they were selected for an in-depth ABR study. The results from the study group were compared with those of an age-matched comparison group. Results The III-V interpeak latency (IPL) was significantly prolonged in both boys and girls with autism, compared with the controls. The latencies of ABR waves I and V were also significantly lengthened in the study groups. The individual test results showed that more than half of this normal-hearing autistic disorder group (58%) had abnormalities of one or more of eight ABR parameters studied. The most common abnormalities were prolongation of wave V (38%), and of I-V IPL (28%). A lengthening of the I-V IPL was also recorded in 27% of 49 children who were difficult to test or who had hearing loss. Abnormal left–right differences of ABR latencies were found in 18% of autism cases with normal hearing. Conclusions Possible causes of the reported ABR abnormalities, observed here as well as in other studies, are discussed. Brain stem lesion, occult cochlear dysfunction, and involvement of the cochlear efferent system are probable factors that can explain the ABR findings The objective of the study was to describe abnormalities affecting the cochlear nerve and the auditory pathway in the brain stem in autism. For this purpose, 153 children and adolescents with autistic disorder were included in an investigation of auditory brain stem responses (ABRs). Of these subjects, 101 had normal hearing. The III-V interpeak latency was significantly prolonged in both boys and girls with autism, compared with a control group. The latencies of ABR waves I and V were also significantly lengthened in the study groups. The individual test results showed that more than half of this normalhearing autistic disorder group (58%) had abnormalities of one or more of eight ABR parameters studied. Abnormal left-right differences of ABR latencies were found in 18% of autistic children with normal hearing. Possible causes of the reported ABR abnormalities were brain stem lesion, occult cochlear dysfunction, and involvement of the cochlear efferent system.
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Individuals with ASD show longer III-V interpeak latency in ABR.
“longer III–V interpeak latency (Kwon et al., 2007; Rosenhall et al., 2003)”
From Behavioral, Perceptual, and Neural Alterations in Sensory and Multisensory Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder (2015) · cites this paper as Rosenhall et al., 2003
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- Authors
- Rosenhall, U., Nordin, V., Brantberg, K., & Gillberg, C.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska University Hospital (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Rosenhall, Ulf
- Venue
- Ear and Hearing
- Published
- 2003-06
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 206-214
- ISSN
- 0196-0202 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2018710515
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 1.99
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ear and Hearing (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, auditory brainstem response, auditory pathway, cochlear efferent system, brainstem lesions, normal hearing children, left-right asymmetry, wave V
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Autistic Disorder, Child, Child, Preschool, Cochlear Nerve, Female, Humans, Male, Reaction Time, Case-Control Studies, Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem, Hearing Loss
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