General

Synonym/Acronym:
Brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER), EP studies.

Rationale
To assist in diagnosing sensory deficits related to nervous system lesions manifested by visual defects, hearing defects, neuropathies, and cognitive disorders.

Patient Preparation
There are no food, fluid, activity, or medication restrictions unless by medical direction. Instruct the patient to clean the hair and to refrain from using hair sprays, creams, or solutions before the test.

Normal Findings

• Visual evoked response (VER) and auditory brainstem response (ABR): Normal latency in recorded cortical and brainstem waveforms depending on age, gender, and stature
• Event-related potential (ERP): Normal recognition and attention span
• Somatosensory evoked response (SER): No loss of consciousness or presence of weakness.

Critical Findings and Potential Interventions
N/A