Brainstem frequency-following response and simple motor reaction time

Author(s): Chae, B. C., Cooper, J. R., Gindi, M. M., Ho, T. N., Kim, B. S., Mankowski, D. A., Lunde, S. E.

Journal/Book: Int J Psychophysiol. 2000; 36: PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, Netherlands. Elsevier Science Bv. 35-44.

Abstract: Simple motor reaction times (RT) in humans show marked trial-to-trial variations. In the present study, a brief tone (400 Hz, 37.5 ms duration) that was the imperative stimulus in a RT paradigm evoked the brainstem frequency-following response (FFR). Horizontal and vertical montage FFRs were recorded to evaluate neural responses with putative origins in auditory nerve and central brainstem, respectively. The main question concerned the possible relationship between trial-to-trial variations in RT speed and FFR response properties. The results showed a reliable pattern in which fast RT trials yielded larger amplitudes (relative to slow trials) in earlier milliseconds of the FFR, and slow RT trials yielded relatively larger amplitudes in later milliseconds of the response. These results support the conclusion that early processing in the auditory brainstem is not automatic and invariant. Rather, short-latency evoked potentials appear to reflect trial-to-trial variations related to events far removed from the first synapes of sensory coding, perhaps depending upon cortically mediated influences such as cognition or attention.

Note: Article Galbraith GC, Univ Calif Los Angeles, Sch Med, Mental Retardat Res Ctr, Los Angeles,CA 90024 USA

Keyword(s): frequency-following response (FFR); brainstem; auditory; montage recording; reaction time (RT); human; AUDITORY EVOKED-POTENTIALS; LATENCY COMPENSATION ANALYSIS; MISSING FUNDAMENTAL STIMULI; SELECTIVE ATTENTION; OTOACOUSTIC EMISSIONS; VISUAL-ATTENTION; PURE-TONE; MODULATION; MOVEMENT; PATTERNS

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