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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Semin Hear 2022; 43(03): 162-176
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1756162
Review Article

Neonatal Frequency-Following Responses: A Methodological Framework for Clinical Applications

Natàlia Gorina-Careta
1   Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2   Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
3   Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
4   BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
,
Teresa Ribas-Prats
1   Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2   Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
3   Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Sonia Arenillas-Alcón
1   Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2   Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
3   Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
Marta Puertollano
1   Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2   Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
3   Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
,
M Dolores Gómez-Roig
3   Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
4   BCNatal - Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
,
Carles Escera
1   Brainlab - Cognitive Neuroscience Research Group, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
2   Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
3   Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
› Author Affiliations FUNDING This work was supported by the Grant PGC2018–094765-B-I00 project funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ERDF A way of making Europe,” the Grant MDM-2017–0729–18–2 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033, the 2017SGR-974 Excellence Research Group of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Fundación Alicia Koplowitz (Madrid, Spain), a grant from the “Convocatòria d'ajuts a la recerca IRSJD – Carmen de Torres 2022 (2022AR-IRSJDCdTorres), and the ICREA Acadèmia Distinguished Professorship awarded to Carles Escera.
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Abstract

The frequency-following response (FFR) to periodic complex sounds is a noninvasive scalp-recorded auditory evoked potential that reflects synchronous phase-locked neural activity to the spectrotemporal components of the acoustic signal along the ascending auditory hierarchy. The FFR has gained recent interest in the fields of audiology and auditory cognitive neuroscience, as it has great potential to answer both basic and applied questions about processes involved in sound encoding, language development, and communication. Specifically, it has become a promising tool in neonates, as its study may allow both early identification of future language disorders and the opportunity to leverage brain plasticity during the first 2 years of life, as well as enable early interventions to prevent and/or ameliorate sound and language encoding disorders. Throughout the present review, we summarize the state of the art of the neonatal FFR and, based on our own extensive experience, present methodological approaches to record it in a clinical environment. Overall, the present review is the first one that comprehensively focuses on the neonatal FFRs applications, thus supporting the feasibility to record the FFR during the first days of life and the predictive potential of the neonatal FFR on detecting short- and long-term language abilities and disruptions.

Keywords

brainstem response - speech ABR - newborns - infants - speech encoding


Publication History

Article published online:
26 October 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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