Home / abstract-2017-issue-1-sumitra
Brainstem auditory evoked potentials in medical students who
use ear phones for varying time durations

Sumitra Sudharkodhy S¹
Vadivel S¹, Lalithamma A¹,
Uma Maheswari K¹, Balan K²
¹Department of Physiology & ²Microbiology, Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Kanchipuram, The Tamil Nadu Dr.MGR Medical University, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract
  • Background: Over a period of just a few years, mobile phones have produced a revolution, involving not only communication systems and the technological sphere, but also the whole social and environmental domains. The younger generation use portable equipment like earphones for communication and to listen music. The use of earphones, in a short or long term could bring irreversible damage to the auditory system.
  • Aim: To compare the brainstem auditory evoked potentials among medical students who use ear phones for durations less than and greater than 2 hours per day.
  • Materials and Methods: This study involving 100 medical students aged 18 to 22 years who used ear phones,was conducted after obtaining institutional ethical committee clearance. Group I consisted of 50 medical students who used ear phones for < 2hours/day, while Group II consisted of 50 medical students who used ear phones for >2 hours /day. Brain stem auditory evoked potential (BERA) was done on all the subjects. Comparison of the latencies and inter-peak latencies of BERA waves between the groups was done by Student’s unpaired t-test.
  • Results: No significant difference (p>0.05) was found in latencies and interpeak latencies of brain stem auditory evoked potential waves between the two groups of medical students who used ear phones for durations less than and greater than 2 hours per day.
  • Conclusion: This study done to compare the brainstem auditory evoked potentials among medical students who use ear phones for durations less than and greater than 2 hours per day did not reveal any statistically significant difference in the latencies and inter-peak latencies of BERA waves between the groups. Further studies are warranted to overcome the limitations of this study and to obtain a clear picture.

Keywords: mobile phone, hearing, brain stem auditory evoked potential