Fetal magnetoencephalography--a multimodal approach.
Past studies have shown the feasibility of recording fetal evoked responses to external stimuli using a non-invasive technique called magnetoencephalography (MEG). These studies were all performed using either auditory or visual stimuli and showed a fairly low detection rate for each modality, thus making this technology currently unreliable for fetal clinical applications. This study is based on the hypothesis that a multimodal approach of applying both auditory and visual stimulation paradigms in successive recording sessions could improve the probability of obtaining a fetal evoked response. A total of 34 studies were performed on 11 normal healthy fetuses at different stages of gestation starting as early as 28 weeks with a 151-channel fetal MEG system. The success rate of obtaining a response to either (or both) stimuli from a study at a given gestation age was 91%. All the 11 fetuses showed a response at least once over the gestation period the recordings were performed. A multimodal testing approach can improve the ability of the MEG technique to reliably monitor the functional development of the fetal brain.
Eswaran
Hari
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham, Slot 518, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA. eswaranhari@uams.edu
Lowery
Curtis L
CL
Wilson
James D
JD
Murphy
Pam
P
Preissl
Hubert
H
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015225:Magnetoencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011930:Reaction Time