Neurophysiologic evaluation of brain function in extremely premature newborn infants

In extremely preterm infants, neonatal brain injury and interruption of the normal maturation of the brain result in functional impairments that appear to manifest in later life. The roots of these impairments may be evaluated in the newborn infant using neurophysiologic techniques, such as evoked potentials and event-related potentials. This paper will review the use of neurophysiologic techniques as a marker of maturational processes in the preterm and newborn brain and as a method of monitoring the development of sensory and cognitive function in preterm infants, focusing on auditory perception, discrimination, and memory. The effects of risk conditions will be reviewed.