Auditory P300 Response Research Articles

The specificity of the auditory P300 responses and its association with clinical outcomes in youth with psychosis risk syndrome

BackgroundSchizophrenia often occurs in youth, and psychosis risk syndrome (PRS) occurs before the onset of psychosis. Assessing the neuropsychological abnormalities of PRS individuals can help in early identification and active intervention of mental illness. Auditory P300 amplitude defect is an important manifestation of attention processing abnormality in PRS, but it is still unclear whether there are abnormalities in the attention processing of rhythmic compound tone stimuli in PRS individuals, and whether the P300 amplitude induced by these stimuli is specific to PRS individuals and related to their clinical outcomes. MethodsIn total, 226 participants, including 122 patients with PRS, 51 patients with emotional disorders (ED), and 53 healthy controls (HC) were assessed. Baseline electroencephalography was recorded during the compound tone oddball task. The event-related potentials (ERPs) induced by rhythmic compound tone stimuli of two frequencies (20-Hz, 40-Hz) were measured. Almost all patients with PRS were followed up for 12 months and reclassified into four groups: PRS-conversion, PRS-symptomatic, PRS-emotional disorder, and PRS-complete remission. The differences in baseline ERPs were compared among the clinical outcome groups. ResultsRegardless of the stimulation frequency, the average P300 amplitude were significantly higher in patients with PRS than in those with ED (p = 0.003, d = 0.48) and in HC (p = 0.002, d = 0.44) group. The average P300 amplitude of PRS-conversion group was significantly higher than that of the PRS-complete remission (p = 0.016, d = 0.72) and HC group (p = 0.001, d = 0.76), and the average P300 amplitude of PRS-symptomatic group was significantly higher than that of the HC group (p = 0.006, d = 0.48). Regardless of the groups (PRS, ED, HC) or the PRS clinical outcome groups, the average P300 amplitude induced by 20-Hz tone stimulation was significantly higher than that induced by 40-Hz stimulation (ps < 0.001, Ƞ2 = 0.074–0.082). The average reaction times of PRS was significantly faster than that of ED (p = 0.01, d = 0.38), and the average reaction times of the participants to 20-Hz target stimulation was significantly faster than that to 40-Hz target stimulation (p < 0.001, d = 0.21). ConclusionThe auditory P300 amplitude induced by rhythmic compound tone stimuli is a specific electrophysiological manifestation of PRS, and the auditory P300 amplitude induced by compound tone stimuli shows promise as a putative prognostic biomarker for PRS clinical outcomes, including conversion to psychosis and clinical complete remission.

Documentation of Peripheral Auditory Function in Studies of the Auditory P300 Response

Abstract: A critical review was conducted to examine whether the peripheral hearing status of participants with neurological and psychological disorders was documented in published clinical studies of the auditory P300 response. Literature searches were conducted with three databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Studies of participants with seven neurological or psychological disorders were included in the study. Each disorder was coupled with the main search phrase in separate searches on each database. Of the total 102 papers which met the inclusion criteria, the majority (64%) did not describe the peripheral hearing sensitivity of participants. In this review with studies that included participants at risk for hearing impairment, particularly age-related hearing loss, only a single publication adequately described formal hearing evaluation. Peripheral hearing status is rarely defined in studies of the P300 response. The inclusion of participants with a hearing loss likely affects the validity of findings for these studies. We recommend formal hearing assessment prior to inclusion of participants in studies of the auditory P300 response. The findings of this study may increase the awareness among researchers outside the field of audiology of the effects of peripheral hearing loss on the auditory P300.

Auditory and Visual P300 Responses in Early Cognitive Assessment of Children and Adolescents with Epilepsy.

ABSTRACTBackground:The event-related potential P300 has been suggested to be valuable in the assessment of cognitive dysfunctions. Not a great deal of neurophysiological assessment has been performed at early stages in patients with epilepsy involving visual and auditory P300 measures.Aims and Objectives:This study aimed to assess the cognitive status in patients with epilepsy earlier by visual and auditory P300 and to find their correlation with various risk factors.Materials and Methods:P300 was recorded in 60 children with epilepsy in the age-group of 5–18 years and 60 age- and sex-matched controls by a rare-frequent (oddball) paradigm. Mean auditory and visual P300 latencies and amplitudes were compared among patients with epilepsy and controls and among patients with generalized and focal epilepsy by unpaired t-test. Pearson’s correlation coefficient test was computed for studying the correlation between risk factors and P300 responses. A value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Statistically significant delay in P300 latencies and reduction in amplitudes (both visual and auditory) was found in patients with epilepsy as compared to controls and also among patients with generalized and focal epilepsy. In generalized epilepsy, both visual and auditory P300 revealed significant delay, whereas only auditory P300 delay was found in focal form. No significant correlation was obtained with risk factors. No significant difference was found in P300 responses among patients with and without antiepileptic treatment.Conclusion:Visual and auditory P300 latencies have an important role in the evaluation of early cognitive dysfunctions in children with epilepsy. P300 potentials are not influenced by antiepileptic treatment, whereas the type of epilepsy alters them

Auditory P300 in Elderly with Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Background: Hearing loss and cognitive impairment are common problems in older adults; several studies were conducted on the effects of hearing aid use relative to cognitive function in older adults. Most studies only used a verbal questionnaire which could lead to biased results. Therefore, the auditory P300 response from an electrophysiologic test provides an objective measure of central auditory function, including the cognitive process in the brain. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July, 2016 to April, 2017 at The Hearing Aid Clinic in Ramathibodi Hospital. Participants were 26 elderly patients with bilateral symmetrical sensorineural hearing loss who were referred for unilateral hearing aid fitting by ENT doctors. The auditory P300 test results and MMSE-Thai scores were recorded before and 2 months after hearing aid fitting. Results: The P300 waveforms could be recorded from only 21 participants with a mean latency of 374.48 ms and mean amplitude of 6.68 μV. Two months after hearing aids were used, the mean P3 latency was 376.83 ms and the mean amplitude was 8.77 μV. There was a statistically significant difference in the amplitudes of P3 2 months after HA fitting (p=0.004). Moreover, the MMSE-Thai scores were also significantly higher (p=0.000). Conclusion: The auditory P300 components could be recorded from approximately 80% of the sensorineural hearing loss elderly patients in this study. The auditory P300 results showed an improvement in cognitive ability with higher amplitude, corresponding to an increase in MMSE-Thai scores. Thus, the P300 may be used to evaluate the improvement in cognitive function after using a hearing aid. This outcome can be a guideline in counseling patients who initially rejected hearing aids on the benefits of using the hearing aids.

Cognitive Memory Comparison Between Tinnitus and Normal Cases Using Event-Related Potentials.

About 20 percent of people above 60 years old suffer from tinnitus though no definitive treatment has been found for it. Evaluation of electrical brain activity using Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) is one of the methods to investigate the underlying reasons of tinnitus perception. Previous studies using ERPs suggest that the precognitive memory in tinnitus groups is negatively affected in comparison to the normal hearing groups. In this study, cognitive memory has been assessed using visual and auditory P300 response with oddball paradigm. Fifteen chronic tinnitus subjects and six normal hearing subjects participated in the experiment. T-test with significance level of 0.05 was applied on amplitude and latency of auditory and visual P300 for all electroencephalography (EEG) channels separately to compare tinnitus and normal hearing groups where the tinnitus group showed meaningful lower amplitude of auditory P300 peak in three EEG channels.

Fatigue Related to Speech Processing in Children With Hearing Loss: Behavioral, Subjective, and Electrophysiological Measures

The purpose of this study was to examine fatigue associated with sustained and effortful speech-processing in children with mild to moderately severe hearing loss. We used auditory P300 responses, subjective reports, and behavioral indices (response time, lapses of attention) to measure fatigue resulting from sustained speech-processing demands in 34 children with mild to moderately severe hearing loss (M = 10.03 years, SD = 1.93). Compared to baseline values, children with hearing loss showed increased lapses in attention, longer reaction times, reduced P300 amplitudes, and greater reports of fatigue following the completion of the demanding speech-processing tasks. Similar to children with normal hearing, children with hearing loss demonstrate reductions in attentional processing of speech in noise following sustained speech-processing tasks-a finding consistent with the development of fatigue.

Speech-Processing Fatigue in Children: Auditory Event-Related Potential and Behavioral Measures.

Fatigue related to speech processing is an understudied area that may have significant negative effects, especially in children who spend the majority of their school days listening to classroom instruction. This study examined the feasibility of using auditory P300 responses and behavioral indices (lapses of attention and self-report) to measure fatigue resulting from sustained listening demands in 27 children (M = 9.28 years). Consistent with predictions, increased lapses of attention, longer reaction times, reduced P300 amplitudes to infrequent target stimuli, and self-report of greater fatigue were observed after the completion of a series of demanding listening tasks compared with the baseline values. The event-related potential responses correlated with the behavioral measures of performance. These findings suggest that neural and behavioral responses indexing attention and processing resources show promise as effective markers of fatigue in children.

Event-related potentials (ERP) and SGIP1 gene polymorphisms in alcoholics: relation to family history of alcoholism and drug usage

The electrophysiological characteristics may serve as valuable biomarkers for the genetic vulnerability underlying alcoholism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the SGIP1 gene and the theta ERP quantitative traits. The theta band (4-7 Hz) visual ERP occurring in the P300 response in the resting EEG were examined to explore the electrophysiological effects of alcohol on the brain in five regions: frontal, central, parietal, temporal and occipital in patients with alcohol addiction. In addition, we tested the potential associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the SGIP1 gene and ERP quantitative traits. We found that the amplitude of the auditory P300 response differed considerably among groups of alcoholics in the frontal, central and temporal areas of the brain and it was lower in the studied brain regions in alcoholics in comparison to non-alcoholics. However, among subjects in the young adult group (GR-1) there was no statistical difference in amplitude of P300 response with control subjects in all studied brain regions in comparison with non-alcoholics. Moreover, we revealed that SNP rs10889635 had a significant effect on P300 amplitude in the central and temporal regions. The reduced P300 amplitude was in AA carriers in comparison to both carriers of GG and GA alleles. The present study demonstrated a possible association of target P300 evoked theta and of alcohol dependence with SNPs from the gene SGIP1 in the region of rs10889635, but further studies are required.

Latency of auditory P300 response is related with cognitive deficits in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by desaturation in blood oxygen level and sleep fragmentation because of repeated upper airway obstruction. Auditory Event related potentials (AERPs) are scalp recorded voltage fluctuations, which reflect several cognitive processes generated within specific brain regions during auditory stimulus processing. In this study, we aimed to investigate cognitive deficits in OSAS patients with AERPs by taking the effects of aging factor into consideration. AERPs were recorded using an auditory oddball paradigm from 27 OSAS patients (range 28 to 67 years old) and 29 healthy control subjects (range 23 to 60 years old) participated in the study. To evaluate the effects of aging, both the OSAS patients and the controls were divided into two age groups: younger ( 0.05). Our results suggest that negative effects of OSAS on cognitive functions could be observed with event-related brain responses. Changes in the P300 latencies are more robust evidence than other AERP components in evaluating cognitive deficits in OSAS patients.

Effects of ZNF804A on auditory P300 response in schizophrenia.

The common variant rs1344706 within the zinc-finger protein gene ZNF804A has been strongly implicated in schizophrenia (SZ) susceptibility by a series of recent genetic association studies. Although associated with a pattern of altered neural connectivity, evidence that increased risk is mediated by an effect on cognitive deficits associated with the disorder has been equivocal. This study investigated whether the same ZNF804A risk allele was associated with variation in the P300 auditory-evoked response, a cognitively relevant putative endophenotype for SZ. We compared P300 responses in carriers and noncarriers of the ZNF804A risk allele genotype groups in Irish patients and controls (n=97). P300 response was observed to vary according to genotype in this sample, such that risk allele carriers showed relatively higher P300 response compared with noncarriers. This finding accords with behavioural data reported by our group and others. It is also consistent with the idea that ZNF804A may have an impact on cortical efficiency, reflected in the higher levels of activations required to achieve comparable behavioural accuracy on the task used.

Comparison of auditory P300 responses in healthy elderly, people with mild cognitive impairment and people with Alzheimer's disease

Background: The role of beta responses in cognitive load was least understood in comparison to other frequency bands. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of beta response oscillations upon cognitive load in healthy subjects and in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: Seventeen consecutive patients with MCI (mean age 70,76 65,62years) according to Petersen’s criteria and Seventeen ageand education-matched normal elderly controls (mean age 68,49 65,48 years) were included in the study. Visual oddball paradigm was used in the experiments. Oscillatory responses were recorded from F 3, F z, F 4, C 3, C z, C 4, TP 7, TP 8, P 3, P z, P 4, O 1, O z and O 2 scalp electrodes. EEG-evoked power, inter-trial phase synchronization and event related beta responses filtered in 15-20 Hz were obtained in response to target and non-target stimuli for both groups of subjects. Results: EEG-evoked beta power, inter-trial phase synchronization of beta responses and event related filtered beta responses were significantly higher in response target stimulation in comparison to non-target stimulation in healthy subjects (p<0,05). On the other hand, there were no evoked beta power differences between target and non target stimuli in MCI patients. Furthermore, upon presentation of visual oddball paradigm occipital electrodes enhanced higher beta response in comparison to other electrode sites (p< 0,0001). Conclusions: The results of the present study clearly indicated that target stimulation elicited higher event related beta power, event related beta phase locking and event related filtered beta responses than non-target stimulation in all electrode sites in healthy subjects. Event related beta increase could be related to attention and cognitive activity. The increased beta response upon presentation of target stimuli in healthy subjects implies that beta oscillations could shift the system to an attention state and had important function in cognitive activity. This may, in future, open the way to consider the beta activity as universal operator in the brain in cognitive processes.

Multimodal event-related potentials in occupational chronic solvent encephalopathy

The aim of this study was to test a multimodal event-related potential (ERP) paradigm in chronic solvent encephalopathy (CSE) to develop a sensitive method for the clinical diagnostics to CSE. The study comprised 11 CSE patients and 13 healthy controls. We used three tasks: an auditory odd-ball (AUD), a visual detection (VIS), and a recognition memory (MEM) task. The auditory and visual stimuli were presented in single- and dual-task conditions. The auditory P300 amplitude in single-task condition was smaller in the patient group than in the control group at the parietal (Pz) but not at the frontal midline electrode location. The auditory P300 response in the dual task condition AUD+VIS was unrecognizable in 8 of 11 patients and in 1 of 13 controls and in the AUD+MEM condition in 10 of 11 patients and in 4 of 13 controls. In the AUD+MEM condition, the auditory P300 amplitude at Pz was smaller in the patient group than in the control group. Reaction time for auditory stimuli in both dual conditions as well as for visual stimuli in AUD+VIS condition were in the patient group prolonged.The ERP results indicate that CSE patients present with slowed performance speed and difficulties in allocation of attention. Based on ERP results, the disturbance in brain activity in CSE seems to affect posterior aspects of the frontoparietal continuity. The multimodal paradigm seems promising as a tool for the clinical diagnostics of CSE.

Dipole source analysis of auditory P300 response in depressive and anxiety disorders.

This paper is to study auditory event-related potential P300 in patients with anxiety and depressive disorders using dipole source analysis. Auditory P300 using 2-stimulus oddball paradigm was collected from 35 patients with anxiety disorder, 32 patients with depressive disorder, and 30 healthy controls. P300 dipole sources and peak amplitude of dipole activities were analyzed. The source analysis resulted in a 4-dipole configuration, where temporal dipoles displayed greater P300 amplitude than that of frontal dipoles. In addition, a right-greater-than-left hemispheric asymmetry of dipole magnitude was found in patients with anxiety disorder, whereas a left-greater-than-right hemispheric asymmetry of dipole magnitude was observed in depressed patients. Results indicated that the asymmetry was more prominent over the temporal dipole than that of frontal dipoles in patients. Patients with anxiety disorder may increase their efforts to enhance temporal dipole activity to compensate for a deficit in frontal cortex processing, while depressed patients show dominating reduction of right temporal activity. The opposite nature of results observed with hemispheric asymmetry in depressive and anxiety disorders could serve to be valuable information for psychiatric studies.

Revisiting P300 cognitive studies for dementia diagnosis: Early dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer disease (AD)

Earlier P300 studies were conducted when the prevalence of dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) was unknown. Our study aims to examine whether P300 abnormalities are present in DLB and to evidence possible differences between DLB and Alzheimer's disease (AD). A second aim of this study is to look for correlations between P300 recordings and EEG, as abnormal EEG variability has been described in DLB. Auditory P300 responses were recorded by a classic oddball paradigm in 50 controls, in 36 DLB patients, and in 40 AD patients with MMSE>20. Reliable auditory P300 responses were obtained in 26 DLB (72%), 33 AD (82.5%), and 46 controls (92%). P300 was more delayed and had lower amplitude in DLB compared to AD groups. P300 topography was also different as the anterior-to-posterior scalp amplitude gradient was reversed in DLB. P300 latency correlated with neuropsychological test scores and with EEG variables. Gradient inversion and delayed P300 responses in frontal derivations evidenced differences between DLB and AD patients with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 97%. P300 recordings are abnormal in DLB and can be useful to distinguish DLB from AD.

P03-132 The effect of quetiapine on auditory P300 response in patients with schizoaffective disorder: Preliminary study

Abnormalities in attention, memory and information processing are considered to be the primary deficits in schizophrenia. Event-related potential (ERP) P300 could reflect deficits in auditory information processing related to active attention in schizophrenia patients. Atypical antipsychotics tend to ameliorate cognitive deficits, however their effects on neural aspects of cognitive dysfunction have not been consistent.Aim:To investigate the effects of quetiapine on auditory information processing by using auditory P300.Methods:We examined 7 patients with schizoaffective disorder, depressive type and 7 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. ERPs were elicited during active auditory “oddball” paradigm. P300 was recorded before and after two weeks of treatment with quetiapine (468.7±143 mg/day).Results:Baseline P300 latencies were significantly delayed in patients compared with controls. Quetiapine did not change P300 amplitudes. However, it normalized P300 latency. These results suggest that already after two weeks of treatment, quetiapine could have a beneficial effect on the active attention reflected in P300 in patients with schizoaffective disorder. Previous studies with antipsychotic drugs such as olanzapine and risperidone failed to show changes in P300 after this treatment interval.Conclusion:Quetiapine may be faster than other neuroleptics in ameliorating attentional dysfunction in patients with schizoaffective disorder. However, studies with a larger sample size must be conducted in order to confirm or reject the results of the current study.

The Auditory Cortex in Schizophrenia

The Auditory Cortex in Schizophrenia

Electrical Stimulation of the Anterior Nucleus of the Thalamus for Intractable Epilepsy: A Long‐term Follow‐up Study

The anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT) modulates temporal lobe and hypothalamic activities, and relays information to the cingulate gyrus and entorhinal cortex. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ANT has been reported to decrease seizure activity in a limited number of human subjects. However, long-term effect of chronic ANT stimulation on such patients remains unknown. We report long-term follow-up results in four patients receiving ANT stimulation for intractable epilepsy. Four patients underwent stereotactic implantation of quadripolar stimulating electrodes in the bilateral ANT, guided by single-unit microelectrode recording. Electrode location was confirmed by postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The stimulator was activated 2-4 weeks following electrode insertion; initial stimulation parameters were 4-5 V, 90-110 Hz, and 60-90 micros. Seizure frequency was monitored and compared with preimplantation baseline frequency. Intelligence quotient (IQ) test and auditory P300 response were performed before and after implantation of electrodes. Four patients (one man with generalized seizures, and three women with partial seizures and secondary generalization) aged 18-45 years old were studied with mean follow-up period of 43.8 months. The four patients demonstrated a sustained effect of 49% (range, 35-76%) seizure reduction to ANT stimulation. Simple insertion of DBS electrodes (Sham period, no stimulation) produced a mean reduction in seizures of 67% (range, 44-94%). One patient was seizure-free for 15 months with anticonvulsant medications. One patient had a small frontal hemorrhage and a second patient had extension erosion over scalp; no resultant major or permanent neurological deficit was observed. Preoperative IQ index and auditory P300 were not significantly different with those after electrodes implantation. Implantation of electrodes in the ANT and subsequent stimulation is associated with a significant reduction in seizure frequency. However, our study could not differentiate whether the implantation itself, the subsequent stimulation or postimplantation drug manipulation had the greatest impact. These experimental results prompt further controlled study in a large patient population.

Estudo eletrofisiológico do sistema auditivo periférico e central em indivíduos afásicos

Electrophysiology of the auditory system. Electrophysiological evaluation of the peripheral and central auditory system of brain injured patients. Experimental group: eleven brain injured and aphasic subjects, both genders and with ages ranging from 43 to 75; control group: eleven individuals without hearing complaints, equalized as to gender and age. The subjects were evaluated through auditory brainstem response (ABR); auditory middle latency response (AMLR) and auditory P300 response. An increase in the V wave latency and I-V interpeak in both groups, due to the age factor. The presence of statistically significant hemispheric differences when compared to the Pa component in MLAEP research, registered in the C3 (left hemisphere) and the C4 (right hemisphere). In researching the P300 Cognitive Potential, there was an absence or increase in P300 latency and a decrease in P300 amplitude in the presence of the N2 component. The AMLR and auditory P300 response have proven to be effective instruments for evaluating aphasic individuals.

Interactions among Variables in the P300 Response to a Continuous Performance Task

This study investigated the effect of variable interstimulus intervals (ISIs) on behavioral reaction time (RT) and on the latency and amplitude of the auditory P300 using an auditory continuous performance task (ACPT) paradigm. Twenty subjects were instructed to respond to common stimuli and ignore a rare stimulus. Common stimuli were 1000-, 1500-, and 2000-Hz pure tones. The rare stimulus was a 250-Hz pure tone. ISIs of 1, 2, and 4 seconds were used for this investigation. A significant correlation between ISI, reaction time, P300 latency, correct rejections, and false alarm rates was found. A significant correlation between P300 latency, P300 amplitude, correct rejections, and false alarm rates was also observed. Likewise, a statistically significant increase in reaction time (RT) was observed as ISI increased. The ACPT paradigm in conjunction with the auditory P300 response can measure both behavioral and electrophysiologic changes that occur during active auditory attention and auditory cognitive processing tasks.

Cognitive evoked potentials to anticipated oesophageal stimulus in humans: quantitative assessment of the cognitive aspects of visceral perception.

Evoked potential studies provide an objective measure of the neural pathways involved with perception. The effects of cognitive factors, such as anticipation or awareness, on evoked potentials are not known. The aim was to compare the evoked potential response to oesophageal stimulation with the cortical activity associated with anticipation of the same stimulus. In 12 healthy men (23.5 +/- 4 years), oesophageal electrical stimulation (15 mA, 0.2 Hz, 0.2 msec) was applied, and the evoked potentials recorded using scalp electrodes. A computerized model of randomly skipped stimuli (4:1 ratio) was used to separately record the evoked potentials associated with stimulation and those associated with an anticipated stimulus. The electrical stimulus represented the nontarget stimulus and the skipped impulse the target (anticipatory) stimulus. This anticipatory evoked potential was also compared to auditory P300 evoked potentials. Reproducible evoked potentials and auditory P300 responses were elicited in all subjects. Anticipatory evoked potentials (peak latency 282.1 +/- 7.9 msec, amplitude 8.2 +/- 0.7 microV, P < 0.05 vs auditory P300 evoked potential) were obtained with the skipped stimulus. This anticipatory evoked potential was located frontocentrally, while the auditory P300 potential was located in the centro-parietal cortex. The anticipatory evoked potential associated with expectation of an oesophageal stimulus, although of similar latency to that of the auditory P300 evoked response, originates from a different cortical location. The recording of cognitive evoked potentials to an expected oesophageal stimulus depends on attention to, and awareness of, the actual stimulus. Anticipatory evoked potentials to GI stimuli may provide an objective electrophysiological tool for the assessment of the cognitive factors associated with visceral perception.