The College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University discussed a master dissertation on the characteristics of auditory function in patients with multiple sclerosis by postgraduate student, Ms. Nawras Thamer Mohammed.

The dissertation, aimed to highlight the nature of the effects of the disease on the central and peripheral auditory pathways, assess the type and severity of hearing loss in patients, and identify the most affected frequencies using conventional pure-tone audiometry, as well as reviewing the integrity of the auditory pathway using auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing and otoacoustic emissions (OAE) testing, thus contributing to a comprehensive diagnostic picture of the auditory effects of the disease.

The dissertation reviewed that multiple sclerosis is one of the most common causes of neurological disability among young people, and with its increasing prevalence, some of its associated complications, including hearing disorders, still require further scientific research and investigation. 

The dissertation demonstrated that auditory pathway involvement in these patients may be more widespread than previously thought, affecting both central and peripheral components, with slight to moderate elevations in the auditory nerve threshold, particularly at low and high frequencies.

The dissertation also reviewed delays in neural signal transmission at the brainstem level in auditory response testing, while otoacoustic emissions (OAE) tests showed significant preservation of cochlear function at low and mid-frequencies.