The human fetal auditory evoked potential.
The brain-stem auditory evoked potential (BAEP), a sensitive test of the functional status of the neonatal brain, has not been studied in utero since no practical technique for human fetal recording is available. We have developed a simple recording technique which allows continuous monitoring of the fetal AEP during labor. Waves I, III and V of the fetal brain-stem AEP have been consistently identified. Wave form morphology, interpeak latencies, and latency-intensity relations are similar to postnatal recordings. Middle latency potentials have also been recorded, with wave forms that correspond to the neonatal middle latency AEP.
Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
K
K
Staley
V
V
Iragui
M
M
Spitz
D001933:Brain Stem / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011930:Reaction Time