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A double blind study of vitamin B6 in Down's syndrome infants. Part 2--Cortical auditory evoked potentials
Insights
Vitamin B6 supplementation in children with Down syndrome may influence auditory processing. At three years, B6-treated children showed altered cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) compared to placebo, suggesting potential benefits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Auditory Neuroscience
Background:
- Children with Down syndrome often exhibit auditory processing differences.
- Cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) are typically abnormal in amplitude for this population.
- Early intervention strategies are crucial for developmental outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of long-term vitamin B6 supplementation on CAEPs in children with Down syndrome.
- To compare auditory pathway maturation between B6-treated and placebo groups.
- To explore potential correlations between CAEP changes and biochemical markers.
Main Methods:
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 19 children with Down syndrome.
- Vitamin B6 or placebo administered from early infancy for 3 years.
- Recording of cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) at 1 and 3 years of age.
- Analysis of CAEP amplitudes and latencies, and whole blood serotonin levels.
Main Results:
- Minor differences in CAEPs at 1 year of age between groups.
- Significant differences in CAEP amplitudes and latencies observed at 3 years.
- B6-treated group showed significantly lower peak-to-peak amplitudes.
- B6-treated group exhibited significantly longer latencies for several evoked peaks.
- Amplitude changes correlated with whole blood serotonin levels in some cases.
Conclusions:
- Long-term vitamin B6 supplementation significantly impacts CAEPs in children with Down syndrome by age 3.
- These findings suggest vitamin B6 may modulate auditory pathway development in this population.
- Further research is warranted to understand the clinical implications of these neurophysiological changes.
Abstract:
Cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) were recorded at 1 and at 3 years of age in 19 children with Down's syndrome participating in a double blind trial of vitamin B6 and placebo begun in early infancy and continued for 3 years. CAEPs have previously been shown to have abnormally high amplitude in Down's syndrome patients. The CAEPs of the patients in the B6-treated and placebo groups were compared. Only minor effects were found in the CAEPs recorded at 1 year of age. At 3 years of age, however, comparison of the B6-treated group and the placebo group revealed significant differences in both amplitudes and latencies of CAEP components. Peak to peak amplitudes of prominent components were significantly lower in B6-treated patients than in their placebo controls. Amplitude correlated in some cases with whole blood serotonin levels. Latencies for several prominent evoked peaks were significantly longer in B6-treated patients.