Abstract
Auditory and vestibular functions were examined in 9 children who had been suffered from hyperbilirubinemia of the newborn infancy. Two of them had athetoid cerebral palsy. Two children had moderate bilateral sensorineural deafness. Their audiograms showed a characteristic shape. The hearing loss below 1000 Hz was mild and that above 2000 Hz was severe. Temporary threshold shift was seen. Vestibular function tests revealed no abnormality. Histopathological observations were performed in an autopsized neonate who died 72 hours after the birth due to severe kernicterus. Marked degeneration was seen in both dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei. Similar changes were found in the vestibular nuclei, the hypoglossal nuclei and the cerebellum. Degeneration of the dorsal nucleus of vagus was slight. The olivary nucleus and the cerebral cortex appeared to be intact. Hearing loss following hyperbilirubinemia of the newborn infancy is mainly attributed to lesions in the cochlear nuclei.
