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A longitudinal study of short latency somatosensory evoked responses in healthy newborns and infants
E Laureau1, A Majnemer, B Rosenblatt
1Evoked Potentials Laboratory, Montreal Children's Hospital, Que., Canada.
Insights
Short latency somatosensory evoked responses (SERs) mature significantly in infants within the first 7 months of life, particularly in the central sensory pathway. This study establishes normative data for SERs in newborns and infants.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Clinical Electrophysiology
Background:
- Short latency somatosensory evoked responses (SERs) are crucial for assessing the integrity of the somatosensory nervous system.
- Understanding maturational changes in SERs is vital for diagnosing neurological disorders in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reliable technique for recording SERs in newborns and infants for research and clinical use.
- To delineate normative data for SERs in healthy full-term newborns and infants at different developmental stages.
Main Methods:
- Studied 18 healthy full-term newborns, with repeated measurements at 2-3 and 6-7 months of age.
- Electrically stimulated median nerves and recorded evoked responses at Erb's point (EP), second cervical vertebra (CII), and contralateral parietal scalp (C'c).
Main Results:
- SERs were consistently recorded at EP and CII levels in neonates.
- Parietal potentials were present in 85% of neonates, with occasional unilateral findings.
- Significant maturational changes observed by 2-3 months, including decreased interpeak latencies and increased amplitude, reflecting central sensory pathway myelination.
Conclusions:
- SERs undergo prominent maturation in the first 7 months of life, primarily in the central sensory pathway.
- Established normative data aids in differentiating normal from abnormal neurological development in infants.
- The developed technique is suitable for both research and clinical applications in pediatric neurology.
Abstract:
Maturational changes in short latency somatosensory evoked responses (SERs) were studied in 18 healthy full-term newborns in the first week of life and consequently repeated at 2-3 and 6-7 months of age. Both median nerves were electrically stimulated individually and evoked responses were recorded at 3 levels: Erb's point (EP), second cervical vertebra (CII), and contralateral parietal scalp (C'c). In the neonatal period, results of 32 stimulated nerves were obtained in all cases at the EP and CII levels. At the parietal level, potentials were present in 85% of cases, absent in 9% and questionable in 6%. Parietal potentials were occasionally noted on one side only. Repeat examinations at 2-3 and 6-7 months of age demonstrated significant maturational changes in the SERs. These changes were most prominent in the neonatal period and 2 months of age. They included decreased interpeak latencies, increased amplitude and markedly diminished dispersion of parietal potentials. Minimal changes in wave form configuration and latency were noted at the EP and CII level. These findings most likely reflect myelination and increased synaptic efficiency predominantly in the central sensory pathway. The purpose of this investigation was to delineate a reliable technique for SERs in newborns and infants that could be applied both to research and clinical settings. Normative data were established in newborns and infants as this will help us in accurately differentiating a normal from an abnormal group of neonates and infants.