AEP

AEP stands for auditory evoked potentials and is a method for measuring the electrical activity in the brain that arises in response to acoustic stimuli.  In the 1960s, the first AEP measurements were carried out in humans.

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The AEP exam is usually performed by placing electrodes on the patient's scalp to measure electrical activity in the brain. The patient is asked to wear headphones through which acoustic stimuli (eg, a tone or click)  are presented. The electrical activity in the brain that occurs in response to the acoustic stimuli is recorded by electrodes on the scalp and processed by a computer.

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AEP can be useful in various conditions and ENT diseases, such as hearing loss, tinnitus and inner ear diseases, to monitor and assess the function of the auditory and auditory nerves and the inner ear. In neurology, AEP are used to assess possible damage in the lower area of the brain, the so-called brainstem, or to differentiate between a hearing impairment and a brain disease.

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It is important to note that AEP  is only part of the ear-hearing system assessment and that other diagnostics such as audiometry, tone audiometry, OAE  (otoacoustic emissions) and clinical assessments may also be required to make a full diagnosis. For neurological questions, CT or MRT examinations are often also carried out.