Abnormalities of the auditory brainstem response in vitiligo.

Accumulating evidence suggests that vitiligo is a systemic disease affecting the entire pigmentary system and possibly the melanin-containing cellular elements of the nervous system. In the present paper we comparatively study the auditory brainstem response (ABR) of 30 patients with active vitiligo and 50 healthy human subjects in order to detect possible subclinical abnormalities of the auditory system in this disorder. Our findings reveal a statistically significant (p < 0.01) decrease of the I peak latency and a statistically significant (p < 0.01) increase of the I-III interpeak latency in the patients as compared to the controls. The decrease of the first peak latency may be due to a numerical decrease of active melanocytes in the inner ear which results in an impairment of the ion exchange between the endolymph and perilymph. The increase of the I-III interpeak latency may be explained in terms of an abnormal synaptic activity and transmission of the action potential from the auditory nerve to the superior olive.