Latency compensation analysis of the auditory brain-stem evoked response.
Latency compensation analysis (LCA) was applied to single trial samples of the auditory brain-stem evoked response (ABR, IV-V complex). By this means it was possible to characterize properties of temporal variability in the ABR, including certain cases of temporal outliners. A lagged cross-correlogram analysis provided information for each trial that included the largest r2 and associated lead/lag value. The distribution of lag values (based on all trials) was statistically different when ABRs were evoked by stimuli differing by 5 dB. Recomputing the ABR by eliminating temporal outliers, and by adjusting for temporal variability, showed a range of individual patterns of increased amplitude. However, a comparison of Down syndrome (DS) and non-retarded individuals showed a significantly greater amplitude increase in the DS group after LCA. This suggests that certain forms of mental retardation may be characterized by reduced stability in a neural system that is thought to depend upon 'synaptically secure' neurons.
D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D006801:Humans; D011930:Reaction Time