Effect of brainstem auditory evoked potential stimulus intensity variations in neonates of small for gestational age

The latencies of brainstem auditory evoked potentials were compared first in 25 small for gestational age (SGA) neonates (conceptional age less than 43 weeks) matched with 25 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) neonates, and then in the 8 younger SGA neonates (less than 37 weeks) matched with 8 AGA neonates. In this last subgroup the results showed that the I-V interval is shorter in SGA than in AGA neonates, as previously described. This shortening effect is essentially linked to a lengthening of wave I. So the results are discussed in terms of immaturity of the basal end of the cochlea, rather than of precocious development of the auditory brainstem neural function in SGA infants.