title: Three methodologies for measuring the acoustic startle response in early infancy.
abstract: The present study investigated whether three methodologies currently used in animal as well as human adult startle research could be adapted for measuring the startle response in 5-month-old infants. The three methods performed: an automated and computerized recording of the infants' whole-body motor reactions (Automated Infant Motor Movement Startle Seat, AIMMSS); a coding of the infants' facial muscular contractions involved in the startle response (FACS, Baby FACS); an analysis of the infants' eyeblink intensity in response to the startle probes (Eye-Blink Strength scale). The results showed that these methods accurately registered the latency and intensity parameters of the reactions to acoustic startle stimuli. A correlational analysis showed, also, that the three methods registered the same motor reaction measuring the infant acoustic startle response in a consistent way.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Umane National Institute of Neuroscience and Neuroscience Center, University of Ferrara Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agnoli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franchin
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dondi
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*