P300 with verbal and nonverbal stimuli in normal hearing adults

ABSTRACT: The P300 results from focusing attention on rare stimuli in the midst of other frequent stimuli; it tests recent attention and memory, both of which depend on discriminating among verbal or nonverbal stimuli. AIM: To compare the P300 with verbal and nonverbal stimuli in normal-hearing adults. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A prospective study was made of 15 male subjects aged from 22 to 55, with no hearing complaints. The subjects underwent short and long latency (P300) auditory evoked potentials with verbal and non-verbal stimuli. RESULTS: The mean P300 latency with verbal stimuli was significantly higher than the P300 with nonverbal stimuli. The P300 amplitudes were significantly lower for verbal compared with nonverbal stimuli. CONCLUSION: There were no differences between ears with respect to P300 latencies and amplitudes for both non-verbal and verbal stimuli. Latencies were higher with verbal stimuli; amplitudes had lower values.