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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #180055
Title: AUDITORY EVENT-RELATED POTENTIALS IN BREAST-FED, MILK-FED, AND SOY-FED INFANTS AT 3 AND 6 MONTHS OF AGE

Author
item JING, HONGKUI - ACNC/UAMS
item DYKMAN, ROSCOE - ACNC
item PIVIK, R - ACNC
item Gilchrist, Janet
item BADGER, THOMAS - ACNC/UAMS

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2005
Publication Date: 3/4/2005
Citation: Jing, H., Dykman, R.A., Pivik, R.T., Gilchrist, J.M., Badger, T.M. 2005. Auditory event-related potentials in breast-fed, milk-fed, and soy-fed infants at 3 and 6 months of age. The FASEB Journal. 19(4):A1000.

Interpretive Summary: Breast feeding has been reported to improve cognition and increase IQ when compared with formula-fed infants. We have been interested in soy formula and the potential effects it might have on the central nervous system. The capability of processing sounds at early age is considered to reflect the development of brain auditory functions in infants. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether different diets have effects on the processing of speech stimuli in healthy infants. At 3 and 6 months of age, healthy full-term infants fed breast milk, milk-based formula, or soy-based formula did not differ in brain responses to computer generated speech sounds.

Technical Abstract: This study evaluated diet effects on the processing of speech syllables in healthy full-term infants at 3 and 6 months of age using the analysis of event-related potentials (ERPs, 124 electrodes, 250 Hz, 0.1-100 Hz bandpass filter). Recordings were obtained from awake infants fed different diets at 3 [breast milk (n=13), milk-based formula (n=12), soy-based formula (n=10)] and 6 months (n=9, 13, 8, respectively) of age. Two types of simulated syllables (a total of 380 syllables) were presented in an oddball paradigm (frequent: /pa/, 80% of trials; infrequent: /ba/, 20%). ERPs were averaged according the types of syllables. Peak latencies and amplitudes of P150 components were computed. Similar latencies were found among the groups (p > 0.9). Within each group, latencies did not differ significantly between hemispheres, nor between the sound types (p > 0.9). However, the latencies decreased across the age and differed among the brain areas within each group (p < 0.05). With respect to amplitude measures, similar maximal frontocentral distribution patterns were found among the groups (p > 0.8). No obvious differences in amplitudes were detected between the ages within each group (p > 0.05). These results suggest that the diets investigated have no apparent influences on auditory central functions involving perception of synthesized speech stimuli at this early age.