An evaluation of 40-Hz event-related potentials in young children.

In order to investigate the clinical utility of the 40-Hz event-related potential (40-Hz ERP) for young children, the effects of stimulus rate on the amplitude of the auditory brain stem response-Na deflection were compared between adults and young children. A prominent increase in the amplitude was observed in the adult subjects with stimulus rates of 35 and 40/s. On the contrary, no amplitude increment was found in the responses from young children at these stimulus rates. The mean amplitude of the responses from young children tended to decrease at stimulus rates above 30/s. These results show that precautions must be taken in the clinical application of 40-Hz ERP to infants and young children.