Newborn hearing analysis can predict neurophysiological development at 12 months

Portuguese researchers have demonstrated that newborn hearing assessment can help predict milestones and detect early signs of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Several studies show that the brain’s response to different intensities of auditory stimuli in infants can provide important information about basic auditory-sensory processing skills, with effects stratified on such aspects as organizational behavior, social participation and, therefore, language competence.

It is from this modernity that researchers Sara Cruz, Alberto Crego, Carla Moreira, Eugénia Ribeiro, Óscar Gonçalves, Rita Ramos and Adriana Sampaio have begun to research and publish the article “Corticestral hearing elicits potential ability at 1 month – infants predict language outcomes at 12 months”, published in the journal Childhood.

Eighteen mothers and infants recruited at birth participated in the study, all infants met the criteria of full-term birth, weight > 2500 g, Apgar score of 9/10 out of 10.^order minutes, and passed the medical hearing test. Infants were evaluated at two different times: at one month and at 12 months of age.

In the paper, the researchers explain that, using the electrodes, they recorded the CAEP – The auditory cortical elicited potential, that is, a series of waves generated in the brain. auditory cortex to react to sound, to test components called P2 and N2 for two auditory stimulation intensity in one-month-old infants. They then sought to correlate CAEP responses to both auditory stimuli with neurobehavioral competence, since infants’ responses to external (social interaction characteristics) and extrinsic stimuli. in (self-regulation skills) is related to prosocial behaviour.

Finally, a team of researchers led by Minho University sought to demonstrate whether the neurophysiological response recorded in one-month-old infants predicts developmental outcomes at 12 months. “To the best of our knowledge, no other studies have addressed these questions using neurophysiological approaches to response to stress,” said Adriana Sampaio, a researcher supported by the BIAL Foundation. Different intensities of auditory stimulation and developmental assessment.

“In this study, we demonstrated that CAEP in one-month-old infants is associated with interactive behavior and self-regulation and, in 12-month-old infants, with language competence,” said the researcher. from the School of Psychology at Minho University.

The results obtained are in agreement with previous studies showing an association between auditory processing and developmental outcomes in infants, which may be important for early detection of developmental disorders. neurodevelopment in children.

Provided by the BIAL . Foundation