EVENT-RELATED POTENTIAL STUDY OF AUDITORY-VISUAL INTERACTIONS IN CHILDREN
Poster Presentation

Julie Vidal
INSERM U619, Tours, France

Marie-Hélène Giard
INSERM U280, Bron, France

Sylvie Roux
INSERM U619, Tours, France

Catherine Barthélémy
INSERM U619, Tours, France

Nicole Bruneau
INSERM U 619, Tours, France

     Abstract ID Number: 117
     Full text: Not available
     Last modified: March 17, 2006
     Presentation date: 06/19/2006 4:00 PM in Hamilton Building, Foyer
     (View Schedule)

Abstract
Despite the importance of the integration of auditory and visual information in communication and language acquisition, little is known about the mechanisms of multisensory integration throughout childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the maturation of the neurophysiological processes underlying auditory-visual interactions in children using event-related potentials (ERPs). ERPs were recorded from 31 scalp electrodes in 30 healthy children aged from 5 to 10 years while auditory and visual stimuli were presented separately (A and V) or simultaneously (AV) in a no-task paradigm. Multisensory interactions were assessed by comparing the ERPs in response to bimodal stimulation with the sum of the ERPs in response to the unimodal stimulations [AV-(A+V)] in three groups of age: 5-6, 7-8 and 9-10. Our results showed age-related modifications not only in the characteristics of the unisensory responses, but also in the interaction effects. The significant effects evidenced by [AV-(A+V)] analysis displayed spatio-temporal distribution which evolved with age. This reflects maturation of the networks involved in auditory-visual interactions. These findings throw light on the processes of multisensory integration that could be impaired in developmental disorders, especially those including communication and language disturbances.