An adolescent was implied in a car accident in which he suffered a head trauma without any substantial loss of consciousness. The posttraumatic syndrome was characterized by headaches and mental symptoms: nervousness, feelings of depersonalization, impaired memory, difficulty in concentration. Neurological examination and laboratory tests have always been normal but for a large perduring asymmetry at the Cortical Auditory Evoked Response. This finding is commented in the light of a review of the literature and of some neuropsychological findings.
References
1.
VaughanThe sources of auditory evoked responses recorded from the human scalp.Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1970; 28: 360–367.
2.
PeronnetF., MichelF.The asymmetry of the auditory evoked potentials in normal man and in-patients with brain lesions. In: DesmedtJ.E. ed. Progressing in clinical neurophysiology, Volume 2.Basel: Karger,1977: 130–141.
3.
KnightR.T., HillyardS.A., WoodsD.L.The effects of frontal and temporal parietal lesions on the auditory evoked potential in man.Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol1980; 50: 112–124.
4.
SaletuB.Evoked responses after hemispherectomy.Confinia Neurologica1971; 33: 221–230.
5.
MatsumiyaY., ErbaG.E., LombrosoC.T.Auditory evoked response elicited by monaural stimulation in patients with hemispherectomy. Ski Meeting of Eastern Association of Electroencephalographers. Abstract, 1976: 545–546.
6.
TaylorM.J.The use of auditory evoked responses as a diagnostic measure in determining unilateral cortical injury in childhood.Can J Neurol Sci1982; 9: 285.
7.
KarnazeD.S., MarshallL.F., McCarthyC.S.Localizing and prognostic value of auditory evoked responses in coma after closed head injury.Neurology1982; 32: 299–302.
8.
KarnazeD.S., WeinerJ.M., MarshallL.F.Auditory evoked potentials in coma after closed head injury: a clinical-neurophysiologic coma scale for predicting outcome.Neurology1985; 35: 1122–1126.