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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
P50 Sensory Gating in Infants
Published on: December 26, 2013
Reliability of P50 auditory sensory gating measures in infants during active sleep
Sharon K Hunter1, Nereida Corral, Heather Ponicsan
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado at Denver and the Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262, USA. Sharon.Hunter@UCHSC.edu
Insights
Auditory sensory gating is reliably measurable in infants aged 1-4 months during active sleep. This finding suggests its potential use in studying neurodevelopmental disorders in early childhood.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Auditory Neuroscience
Background:
- Auditory sensory gating is a crucial cognitive process for filtering stimuli.
- Reliable measurement of sensory gating in infants is essential for understanding early neurodevelopment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability of auditory sensory gating in infants aged 1-4 months.
- To determine if auditory sensory gating can be measured consistently during active sleep.
Main Methods:
- A paired-click paradigm with a 500 ms interstimulus interval was used.
- Auditory evoked potential component P1 was measured during active sleep on two separate occasions.
- Comparisons were made for amplitudes, latencies, and the ratio of evoked potentials.
Main Results:
- Significant reliability was observed in the response ratio and response latency to the first stimulus.
- Reliable response amplitude to the second stimulus was also found.
- Trends toward significance were noted for response latency and amplitude to the second stimulus.
Conclusions:
- Auditory sensory gating is reliably measurable in young infants during active sleep.
- This reliable measurement may serve as a valuable tool for investigating neurodevelopmental disorders.
Abstract:
This study assessed reliability of auditory sensory gating in young infants from 1-4 months of age using a paired-click paradigm in which auditory 'clicks' were presented at an interstimulus interval of 500 ms. Evoked potential component P1 was measured during periods of active sleep on two different occasions. Amplitudes, latencies, and ratio of the evoked potentials to each of the auditory clicks were compared. Significant reliability was found in the response ratio, response latency to the first stimulus, and response amplitude to the second stimulus, with a trend toward significance for response latency to the second stimulus and response amplitude to the first stimulus. The results suggest that auditory sensory gating can be reliably measured during active sleep in young infants and might be a useful tool in the study of neurodevelopmental disorders.
