Brainstem auditory evoked potentials are the far field reflections of electrical events generated within the auditory pathway in its course through the brain. The latency of the evoked potential is affected by test subjects and techniques. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effects of age, sex, and intensity of stimuli in auditory evoked potentials.

The subjects of this study were 120 nomal volunteers between 12 to 72 years of age. Tests were done at 90, 70 and 50 dB on both sides.

The major results were as follows:

In all 720 BAEP study, the mean latencies of wave I, III, and V were 1.57±0.19 msec, 3.72±0.21msec, and 5.68±0.20 msec; and the mean interpeak latencies of I-III, I-V, and III-V were 2.15±0.09 msec, 4.10±0.09 msec, and 2.00±0.08 msec, respectively.

The men latencies of wave I, III, and V became significantly shorter, while the mean interpeak latency of I-V became progressively longer with increment of stimulus intensity (p<0.01).

The mean latencies of wave I, III, and V were significantly shorter in females than in males (p<0.01), however, there was no sexual difference in all mterpeak latencies.

With incrment of age, the mean latencies of wave I, III, and V became significantly prolonged with high correlation (p<0.001), but all interpeak latencies showed no change.

At 90 dB of stimulus intensity, the age influence to the mean latencies of wave I, III, and V was greater in males than in females.

The detection rates of wave II, IV, and, VII were 69%, 69%, 62%, and 52%, respectively; and these rtes were not affected by sex, age or stimulus intensity.