Brain stem auditory evoked potentials and blink reflexes in multiple sclerosis.

Brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and the blink reflex (BR) were recorded from 50 patients with a wide spectrum of multiple sclerosis, to determine whether the combination of the two tests of brain stem function would yield a higher rate of abnormality than each test performed alone. Sixty-four per cent of patients had a BAEP abnormality and fifty-two per cent had an abnormal BR, but when the results were combined, seventy-six per cent were abnormal. The blink reflex was abnormal in all patients with symptoms suggestive of trigemino-facial pathology.