Eleven children with infantile autism or autistic-like conditions were examined with oculomotor tests and with auditory brainstem response audiometry. Measurements of voluntary, horizontal non-predictable saccades showed that the eye motor function was abnormal in six (55 per cent) of the eleven patients. The saccades were hypometric in all six instances and the saccadic velocity was reduced in four instances. The abnormalities observed are consistent with brain dysfunction, in most cases probably indicating ponto-cerebellar involvement. In five instances ABR was found to be abnormal which indicates brainstem dysfunction. Oculomotor dysfunction and/or ABR abnormality was observed in eight (73 per cent) of the patients studied.

Abstract Twenty-six patients with secondary or early latent sypilis were examined by auditory brainstem reponse (ABR) audiometry and by pure tone audiometry before and after treatment. Normalization was registered in four of seven patients with pathological ABR before treatment, while in three patients the ABR abnormalities remained after treatment. Thirteen patients exhibited a sensorineural hearing-loss before treatment. In two patients this hearing-loss improved after treatment and a syphilitic etiology seems plausible. The reversible lesions in the auditory system may be related to asymptomatic syphilitic meningitis. Permanent ABR abnormalities might reflect syphilitic vascular involvement in the brainstem.