Analysis of oscillatory components in perioperative AEP-recordings: a nonparametric procedure for frequency...

Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) were recorded in 15 patients scheduled for minor gynecological procedures. The suppression of a middle latency oscillation about 40 Hz was observed during 2 minutes after injection of the anesthetic agent propofol. The decrease in oscillation frequency during anesthetic induction was evaluated with a fast Fourier transformation (FFT) and a rank-correlation procedure (RCP). With AEPs having a short epoch of 100 ms the frequency resolution of the RCP was better than the frequency resolution of the FFT. The rank-correlation function of the RCP indicates an initial drop of oscillation frequency from 44 Hz to 37 Hz during 1 minute after anesthetic induction. During the second minute after the infusion of propofol, the oscillation frequency decreases from 37 Hz to 19 Hz. It is suggested that the suppression of neuronal oscillations in the AEP represents a loss of sensory information processing. The measurement of middle latency oscillations in the AEP is proposed to be a promising indicator for the intraoperative stage of anesthesia.