Carbamazepine-Induced Transient Auditory Pitch-Perception Deficit

This report presents six cases of transient auditory disturbance caused by carbamazepine, with a particular focus on pitch-perception deficit. Basic disorders in the six cases included epilepsy (cryptogenic localization–related epilepsy and benign childhood epilepsy) and glossopharyngeal neuralgia. Since 1993, in which we reported the first description of transient pitch-perception deficit associated with carbamazepine, a further 26 cases have been reported. However, this carbamazepine-induced transient pitch-perception deficit may be more frequent than previously suspected. Moreover, because auditory disturbance occurs at therapeutic serum levels of carbamazepine, patient awareness of reversible hearing impairment on initiating carbamazepine therapy is important.