R Chandran1, M Alexander2, P Naina1, A Balraj1. 1. Audiovestibular Unit,Department of ENT,Christian Medical College,Vellore,India. 2. Department of Neurosciences,Christian Medical College,Vellore,India.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterised by pontobulbar palsy and sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing rehabilitation continues to be a challenge because the exact lesion site is unknown. CASE REPORT: We examined the clinical and audiological profiles of a case series comprising four siblings with Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome who had decreased hearing and poor speech discrimination. Audiological investigations revealed normal otoacoustic emissions with absent auditory brainstem responses and middle-ear reflexes in sensorineural hearing loss, suggestive of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. CONCLUSION: The sensorineural hearing loss in Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome patients is a retrocochlear pathology resembling auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, with the lesion being most probably of post-synaptic origin. Early cochlear implantation along with high-dose riboflavin represents a possible rehabilitation therapy. However, further research is needed to confirm this. This report emphasises the need for a thorough neurological evaluation of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder patients.
BACKGROUND:Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterised by pontobulbar palsy and sensorineural hearing loss. Hearing rehabilitation continues to be a challenge because the exact lesion site is unknown. CASE REPORT: We examined the clinical and audiological profiles of a case series comprising four siblings with Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndrome who had decreased hearing and poor speech discrimination. Audiological investigations revealed normal otoacoustic emissions with absent auditory brainstem responses and middle-ear reflexes in sensorineural hearing loss, suggestive of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. CONCLUSION: The sensorineural hearing loss in Brown-Vialetto-Van Laere syndromepatients is a retrocochlear pathology resembling auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder, with the lesion being most probably of post-synaptic origin. Early cochlear implantation along with high-dose riboflavin represents a possible rehabilitation therapy. However, further research is needed to confirm this. This report emphasises the need for a thorough neurological evaluation of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorderpatients.
Authors: Anjali Lepcha; Reni K Chandran; Mathew Alexander; Ann Mary Agustine; K Thenmozhi; Achamma Balraj Journal: Ann Indian Acad Neurol Date: 2015 Apr-Jun Impact factor: 1.383