The blink reflex is used for evaluation of trigeminal and facial nerves, and brainstem reflex through its pathway. The purpose of this study is to establish the normal values in healthy Korean neonates and to evaluate changes of blink reflex by
hyperbilirubinemia and/or brain lesions in sick neonate. The study included 50 full-term neonates divided control(n=21) and patient group(n=29). The patient group is divided as follows: Group I(n=15):normal serum bilirubin(<10mg/dl) with brain
lesion,
Group II(n=7): high serum bilirubin(≥10mg/dl) without brain lesion and Group III(n=7): high serum bilirubin(≥10mg/dl) with brain lesion.
R1 was always obtained, its latency is 12.24±0.76 msec, and ipsilateral R2 was more difficult to elicit, its latency is 40.28±3.32msec, but contralateral R2 was not evoked at all. The R1 and ipsilateral R2 latencies of Group III were
significantly
greater than those of control. We conclude that brain lesion combined with hyperbilirubinemia affect significantly blink reflex, especially R1(p<0.05) and ipsilateral R2(p<0.01) latencies. Thus we carefully suggest that blink reflex can be used
as
one
of the screening tools for neonates with suspected brain lesion or hyperbilirubinemia.
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