Auditory brainstem response study of alcoholic patients.

Auditory brainstem responses were obtained from 52 alcoholic patients with or without neurological complications of alcoholism. Almost half of the patients had abnormal auditory brainstem responses manifested by a prolonged central conduction time (Wave I to V interval) without significant alterations in morphology. The incidence of abnormal auditory responses was related to the type and the number of neurological complications. Patients with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, dementia or cerebellar degeneration had high incidence of brainstem abnormalities. All patients with 3 or more neurological complications had abnormal auditory brainstem responses.