SD-BERA (Sensodetect® - Brainstem Evoked Response Audiometry) as diagnostic support for schizophrenia and adult ADHD and other diagnoses.

The SD-BERA method records auditory brainstem responses to 13 different click sound stimuli presented via earphones. The test person reclines in a comfortable chair. Brainstem responses are recorded via electrodes applied to the forehead of the patient and behind the ears. The evoked responses to sound stimuli are visualized as waveforms which are digitalized to allow detailed analysis.

The test provides information on electrical responses to sound stimuli along the auditory pathway in the brain. The results can then according to this method be used in order to support neuropsychiatric diagnostic investigations and may also contribute to increased understanding of brain functioning.

Application of the method in groups of patients has shown differences in ABR (auditory brainstem response) waveforms between patients with schizophrenia and patients with adult ADHD vs. healthy controls. The aim of the present study was to confirm previous results and to investigate the utility of the method under blinded conditions.

We plan to include 210 study persons, patients with DSM-IV TR schizophrenia, adult ADHD, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar I, FEP (first episode psychosis) or prodromal psychosis vs. no psychiatric diagnosis controls.

Preliminary results for 162 persons indicates a sensitivity and specificity well exceeding 80%. We are now analyzing these promising results and planning for publications and further studies.

PI Eva Baghdassarian

This project has been ongoing since 2009 at the Psychosis Clinic at Uppsala University Hospital.

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee 2009-05-09.Personnel in Uppsala were trained to perform the SD-BERA test.