TO IDENTIFY THE SINGLE BEST PREDICTOR OF HORMONE SENSITIVE CHANGES IN BERA DURING MENSTRUAL CYCLE

INTRODUCTION  Numerous studies have been carried out in the last few decades studying the effect of female hormones on the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Responses (BERA).This study was undertaken to identify the single best predictor of hormone sensitive changes during menstrual cycle of the various parameters of BERA. MATERIAL METHODS 50 females ( students and staff)  at Government Medical College Amritsar underwent BERA testing thrice in one menstrual cycle ; day 1-3 i.e Menstrual Phase, day 11-14 i.e Estrogen peak Mid cycle  and day 17-22 i.e progesterone peak Luteal phase. RESULTS Eleven parameters were recorded by BERA . A significant to highly significant increase in latencies seen in phase 2. Similar trends seen in inter-peak latency I-III, I-V and III-V.No significant change in amplitude of  Wave I or V while significant decrease in amplitude ratio is seen in phase 2. On comparing the phase 2 and 3 the only significant change seen is a decrease in latency of all waves.  CONCLUSION The absolute lantency of the waves is thus the single most sensitive indicator of hormone induced changes in BERA during menstrual cycle.