Development of brainstem auditory evoked responses in the hamster

The hamster is relatively immature at birth compared with other mammalian species. Because of the amount of maturation that occurs postnatally, the development of the peripheral auditory system of the hamster has generated a great deal of interest. However, indices of the developing functional capabilities of the central auditory system of the hamster are lacking. The following study investigated the ontogeny of brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAERs) to clicks in young hamsters. The general maturational trends noted for other species were found for the hamster. The major peaks of the BAER decrease in latency at the same time relative to birth and at the same rate in the hamster as in the cat and rat. Some maturational events such as the onset of a recordable BAER, appearance of the late peaks and increase in amplitude of the late peaks occur later, relative to birth, in the hamster than in the other species. Development delays in the hamster make it an attractive model for studying postnatal development of the central auditory system.