Linear and nonlinear temporal interaction components of mid-latency auditory evoked potentials obtained with maximum length sequence stimulation

• Published in: Experimental brain research Vol. 202; no. 1; pp. 231 - 237
• Main Authors: Lavoie, Brigitte A, Barks, Angela, Thornton, A. R. D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.04.2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acoustic Stimulation; Adult; Aging; Analysis of Variance; Auditory evoked response; Auditory Perception - physiology; Bats; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Brain research; Ear and associated structures. Auditory pathways and centers. Hearing. Vocal organ. Phonation. Sound production. Echolocation; Evoked Potentials, Auditory; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Memory - physiology; Middle Aged; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Neurology; Neurosciences; Nonlinear Dynamics; Psychological research; Research Note; Temporal integration; Time Factors; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Young Adult; United Kingdom > UK; Volterra slices; Nonlinear temporal interactions; MLS; Auditory evoked potential; Human; Evoked potential; Memory; Electrophysiology; Response latency; Nonlinearity
• ISSN: 0014-4819; 1432-1106; 1432-1106
• DOI: 10.1007/s00221-009-2109-6

A maximum length sequence (MLS) is a quasi-random sequence of clicks and silences that enables simultaneous recording of linear components and nonlinear temporal interaction components (NLTICs). NLTICs are produced when the stimulation rate is fast enough such that several stimuli occur within the memory length of the system. The present study was designed to characterise the NLTICs of auditory mid-latency responses (MLR). Forty normally hearing subjects (19-45-year-old) were tested at MLS rates between 20 and 120 clicks/s. Linear components could be identified at all rates. The NLTICs of the MLS-MLR were identified in only a few subjects. This suggests two possibilities: (1) there may not be strong nonlinear temporal interactions within the MLR generators; (2) the memory length of the MLR is much shorter than expected from the linear component rates. If so, NLTICs should be obtained at higher rates of stimulation.