The Influence of Aging on Auditory Evoked Potential in Advanced Age Group

Abstract

Each sensory system has its own time of maturation. The individuation of the exact period of life when brain aging starts is difficult to define. Normally, the amplitude of evoked potentials decreases, and their latency increases from adult to elder life. The absolute latencies of Waves I, III, and V are 0.1 to 0.2 ms longer for subjects aged 50 years and older than for those aged 2030 years. The influence of age on interwave latency is inconclusive but also suggests that there may be an age-related prolongation of 0.1 to 0.2 ms for the IV interpeak interval. Age related changes may be confounded by the presence of sensory hearing loss. Since age effects on central conduction time in the acoustic pathway are still debated, the present study was conducted to assess the effects of aging on central conduction time and compared with the young adult. Auditory evoked potential were studied in twenty five normoacoustic elderly subjects and results were compared with twenty five age and sex matched controls (young adults between 18-25 years age group). The older adults had prolonged wave III and wave V latencies. The interpeak latency I-III and I-V are also prolonged which suggest that aging process is central phenomenon.