Assessment of auditory brainstem function in lead-exposed children using stapedius muscle reflexes

Counter, S. Allen; Buchanan, Leo H.; Ortega, Fernando; Velde, Jeannette van der; Borg, Erik

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2011.04.003

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…However other studies found no association between concurrent blood lead and ABRs in older children [ 14 – 17 , 22 ]. Two studies of multi-age cohorts, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, without age-specific analyses, also found no association between concurrent blood lead and auditory function [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-level prenatal lead exposure and infant sensory function

Silver

Liu

et al. 2016

Environ Health

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BackgroundLead is a pervasive neurotoxicant that has been associated with poorer cognitive, behavioral, and motor outcomes in children. The effects of lead on sensory function have not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of prenatal lead exposure on infant sensory function, as measured by auditory brainstem response (ABR) and grating visual acuity (VA).MethodsLead was measured in maternal blood in mid- and late-pregnancy (mean gestational age = 15.5 and 39.0 weeks, respectively) and umbilical cord blood in a cohort of full-term infants in rural northeastern China. ABR latencies (peaks I, III, V) were measured in newborns during unsedated sleep (n = 315). The ABR central-to-peripheral (C-P) ratio was calculated as the ratio between the III-V and I-III interpeak intervals. VA was measured in 6-week-olds using Teller Acuity Cards (n = 1019) and assigned as the narrowest grid the infant fixated on. Multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate relationships between tertiles of mid-pregnancy, late-pregnancy, or cord lead and newborn ABR or 6-week VA.ResultsHigher late-pregnancy lead levels were associated with higher ABR C-P ratios and lower VA. In covariate-adjusted analyses, mean C-P ratios were 4.6 and 3.2 % higher in infants whose mothers had lead > 3.8 μg/dL and lead = 2–3.8 μg/dL, respectively, than for infants whose mothers had lead < 2 μg/dL (p-trend =0.002). In adjusted analyses for VA, mean scores were 8.5 and 7.2 % lower for maternal lead > 3.8 μg/dL and lead = 2–3.8 μg/dL, respectively, compared to lead < 2 μg/dL (p-trend =0.009).ConclusionAuditory and visual systems maturation appears delayed in infants with higher prenatal lead exposure during late-pregnancy, even at relatively low levels. Both systems start myelinating in late gestation and mature rapidly in infancy. Higher ABR C-P ratio and lower grating VA scores suggest effects of low-level lead exposure on sensory system myelination.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12940-016-0148-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-level prenatal lead exposure and infant sensory function

Silver

Liu

et al. 2016

Environ Health

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“…This observation suggests that the central dysfunction underlying their CAPD was rostral to the brainstem (Hall and Johnston, 2007). Abnormal AR findings, however, have been reported in a number of different central auditory disorders with established brain pathology, such as tumors of the brainstem (Jerger and Jerger, 1977), multiple sclerosis (Jerger et al 1986), head injury (Hall et al 1982), and more recently in lead poisoning (Counter et al 2011).…”

Section: Central Auditory Tests and Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perspectives on the Pure-Tone Audiogram

et al. 2017

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The audiogram is a primary tool for determining type, degree, and configuration of hearing loss; however, it provides the clinician with information regarding only hearing sensitivity, and no information about central auditory processing or the auditory processing of real-world signals (i.e., speech, music). The pure-tone audiogram offers limited insight into functional hearing and should be viewed only as a test of hearing sensitivity. Given the limitations of the pure-tone audiogram, a brief overview is provided of available behavioral tests and electrophysiological procedures that are sensitive to the function and integrity of the central auditory system, which provide better diagnostic and rehabilitative information to the clinician and patient.

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“…Beyond ethanol, lead (Bini and Bollea, 1947), mercury (Oyanagi et al, 1989;Nagashima, 1997;Kern et al, 2012), and methyl bromide (Goulon et al, 1975) poisoning can result in a WKSlike pattern of brain damage particularly affecting inferior colliculi and visual and auditory functions (Otto and Fox, 1993;Counter et al, 2011).…”

Section: Other Diseases Involving the Inferior Colliculimentioning

confidence: 99%

The Inferior Colliculus in Alcoholism and Beyond

Bordia

Zahr

2020

Front. Syst. Neurosci.

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Post-mortem neuropathological and in vivo neuroimaging methods have demonstrated the vulnerability of the inferior colliculus to the sequelae of thiamine deficiency as occurs in Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS). A rich literature in animal models ranging from mice to monkeys—including our neuroimaging studies in rats—has shown involvement of the inferior colliculi in the neural response to thiamine depletion, frequently accomplished with pyrithiamine, an inhibitor of thiamine metabolism. In uncomplicated alcoholism (i.e., absent diagnosable neurological concomitants), the literature citing involvement of the inferior colliculus is scarce, has nearly all been accomplished in preclinical models, and is predominately discussed in the context of ethanol withdrawal. Our recent work using novel, voxel-based analysis of structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has demonstrated significant, persistent shrinkage of the inferior colliculus using acute and chronic ethanol exposure paradigms in two strains of rats. We speculate that these consistent findings should be considered from the perspective of the inferior colliculi having a relatively high CNS metabolic rate. As such, they are especially vulnerable to hypoxic injury and may be provide a common anatomical link among a variety of disparate insults. An argument will be made that the inferior colliculi have functions, possibly related to auditory gating, necessary for awareness of the external environment. Multimodal imaging including diffusion methods to provide more accurate in vivo visualization and quantification of the inferior colliculi may clarify the roles of brain stem nuclei such as the inferior colliculi in alcoholism and other neuropathologies marked by altered metabolism.

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Assessment of auditory brainstem function in lead-exposed children using stapedius muscle reflexes

Cited by 11 publications

References 43 publications

Low-level prenatal lead exposure and infant sensory function

Low-level prenatal lead exposure and infant sensory function

Perspectives on the Pure-Tone Audiogram

The Inferior Colliculus in Alcoholism and Beyond

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