Investigations in electrophysiology and morphology of the VIII cranial nerve.

The morphological and functional changes of the eighth nerve in patients undergoing cerebello-pontine angle (CPA) surgery are under investigation in the ENT Department of the University of Verona. The main aspects of the research are: ultrastructural examination of the eighth nerve in normals and subjects operated on for vestibular or cochleo-vestibular neurectomy and for acoustic neuroma; monitoring cochlear nerve function during CPA surgery by monopolar and bipolar recording of cochlear nerve action potential (CNAPs). The specific aims of this research are: to acquire information on the pathophysiology of a number of peripheral cochleo-vestibular disorders; to evaluate the role of intraoperative recording of the eighth nerve in preserving hearing.