Localisation of human speech by the newborn baby and the effects of pethidine ('meperidine').
Eight newborn babies were tested to see whether they could make discriminating headturn responses to the sound of a 9-second recording of a human voice coming from 15 degrees, 30 degrees and 80 degrees from the midline, from either the right or left side. The babies showed significant differences in response to sounds coming from the right and the left, and to sounds coming from 15 degrees and 80 degrees from the midline. Pethidine ('Meperidine') given to the mother during labour had a significant effect, both on degree of response and on the babies' apparent ability to localize sound.
D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
D008614:Meperidine