Temporal processing in the auditory brainstem response by full-term 6-week- and 9-month-old infants

Abstract

Early auditory temporal processing abilities are important for language acquisition and for later reading abilities. In the present study, auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded in a forward-masking paradigm in healthy, full-term infants aged 6 weeks (nâ €‰=â €‰111) and 9 months (nâ €‰=â €‰62). Our purpose was to establish normative values of forward-masking ABRs and investigate the development of auditory temporal processing in infants at these ages. Infants were presented with pairs of stimuli (an initial â €œ maskerâ € followed by a â €œ probeâ €) separated by different time intervals (8, 16, and 64â €‰ms). Results showed that as masker-probe intervals became longer and as infants got older, Wave V latency to the probe shortened. The greatest improvements in Wave V latencies from 6 weeks to 9 months of age were observed in the 64-ms masker-probe interval, suggesting that central auditory nervous system related to the temporal processing at this interval might undergo rapid development during the first year of life.