P300 in individuals with sensorineural hearing loss.

Introduction: Behavioral and electrophysiological auditory evaluations contribute to the understanding of the auditory system and of the process of intervention.

Objective: To study P300 in subjects with severe or profound sensorineural hearing loss.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional prospective study. It included 29 individuals of both genders with severe or profound sensorineural hearing loss without other type of disorders, aged 11 to 42 years; all were assessed by behavioral audiological evaluation and auditory evoked potentials.

Results: A recording of the P3 wave was obtained in 17 individuals, with a mean latency of 326.97ms and mean amplitude of 3.76V. There were significant differences in latency in relation to age and in amplitude according to degree of hearing loss. There was a statistically significant association of the P300 results with the degrees of hearing loss (p=0.04), with the predominant auditory communication channels (p<0.0001), and with time of hearing loss.

Conclusions: P300 can be recorded in individuals with severe and profound congenital sensorineural hearing loss; it may contribute to the understanding of cortical development and is a good predictor of the early intervention outcome.