Auditory brain stem responses in the prognosis of late postconcussional symptoms and neuropsychological dysfunction after minor head injury

Thirty patients suffering from minor head injury were examined with auditory brain stem responses (ABR), neuropsychological tests for assessment of higher nervous functions, and a questionnaire on postconcussional symptoms. Comparison of the 6 patients with altered ABR with the other 24 showed no statistical difference in either the number of long-lasting postconcussional symptoms or the scores on neuropsychological tests. Subclinical brain stem involvement as shown by ABR does not seem to correlated with impaired mental function or symptoms of the postconcussion syndrome. This greatly limits the use of ABR in forensic medicine.