An investigation of the P300 event related potential across gender

by Lombard, F. D.

An investigation of the Auditory P300 Event Related Potential across gender The P300 serves as a valuable tool in examining higher auditory functions such as auditory attention and discrimination. Exploration of the P300 could be of value in a multi-lingual South Africa where auditory processing evaluations still rely heavily on inappropriate linguistically dependent tests. The P300 could potentially provide an objective, non-linguistically dependent evaluation of auditory processing. The present study aimed to investigate the influences of gender on the Auditory P300 Event Related Potential (AERP) and to contribute to establishing a clinic-specific normative database. One hundred subjects (n=100) (50% male) with normal hearing and no history of psychiatric illness were evaluated using the “odd-ball” paradigm. The averages and ranges of the findings on latencies and amplitudes were reported. The average latency values for the P300 were calculated at 314.7ms with a standard deviation of 37.2 ms. The average amplitude values were calculated at 7.1 µV with a standard deviation of 6.1 µV. No significant gender effect was found. In conclusion further research is recommended to explore the clinical utility of the P300 in different age and gender groups, using different protocols. Opsomming: Die doel van die huidige studie was ‘n ondersoek na die invloed van geslag op die ouditiewe P300 en om ‘n bydrae te lewer in die samestelling van ‘n kliniek-spesifieke normatiewe databasis. Hierdie metings is van belang aangesien dit ’n waardevolle instrument is vir die evaluering van hoër ouditiewe funksies soos ouditiewe aandag en diskriminasie. Verdere ondersoeke in die P300 kan van kliniese waarde wees in ‘n multi-linguistiese Suid-Afrika waar evaluasies van ouditiewe prosessering steeds sterk leun op toetse wat linguisties afhanklik is en dus ontoepaslik is. Die ouditiewe P300 kan ‘n objektiewe, nie-linguistiese metode bied om ouditiewe prosessering te evalueer. Die studie het beoog om die effek van geslag op die latentheid en amplitude van die betrokke potensiale te ondersoek. ’n Honderd proefpersone (n=100)(50% manlik) met normale gehoor en geen geskiedenis van psigiatriese patologie nie, is geëvalueer met behulp van die “odd-ball” paradigma. Die gemiddelde en totale reikwydte van die latentheid en amplitude van elke potensiaal is opgeteken. Die gemiddelde latentheid en amplitude was bereken as 314.7ms en 7.1µV onderskeidelik. Die standaard afwyking vir die latenheid en amplitude was bereken as 37.2 ms en 6.1 µV. Geen betekenisvolle verskille tussen mans en vrouens is waargeneem nie. Die gevolgtrekking van die studie was dat verdere navorsing nodig is om die kliniese waarde van die P300 ten opsigte van verskillende ouderdoms- en geslagsgroepe te ondersoek, met behulp van verskeie toetsprotokolle. iii University of Pretoria etd – Lombard, F D (2005)