Elsevier

Early Human Development

Volume 11, Issues 3–4, September 1985, Pages 213-219
Early Human Development

Peripheral nerve conduction velocity and brainstem auditory evoked responses in small for gestational age preterm infants

https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-3782(85)90075-1Get rights and content

Abstract

Ulnar nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER) were measured in each of 11 preterm small for gestational age (SGA) infants born at less than 35 weeks gestation. The mean motor NCV in the SGA infants was similar to that reported for infants who were appropriately grown for their gestational age (AGA). However, the mean central conduction time of the BAER in SGA infants was significantly shorter than that of AGA infants of the same post-menstrual age. Thus, the precocious development of auditory brainstem neural function in preterm SGA infants is not accompanied by changes in functional maturation of the peripheral motor nerves.

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      The authors found electrophysiology evidence of accelerated maturation of cognitive processing suggesting an atypical process of maturation that may not support typical cognitive development in the IUGR babies. Some BAER studies in SGA infants also found a shortening wave V latency and I–V interval, suggesting accelerated maturation of the brainstem auditory pathway (Henderson-Smart et al., 1991; Kesson et al., 1985; Pettigrew et al., 1985; Sarda et al., 1992). In our present MLS BAER study, none of the MLS BAER wave latencies and interpeak intervals in the high-risk SGA late preterm babies showed significant shortening or decrease, compared with both the low- and high-risk AGA late preterm babies.

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