Long latency event-related potentials (P300) in gifted children

Abstract

In children, P3 latency decreases with increasing age. This decrease could be linked with the maturation of cognitive processes. According to this hypothesis, event-related potentials P3 were recording in gifted children to research an electrophysiological correlation with the mental precocity. Auditory long latency event-related potentials were recorded in 10 gifted children (IQs over 140) and 23 control subjects. The part of variance related to age was extracted by comparing deviations from regression line as a function of age. Stimulus-evoked N1 component latency was not statistically different in the two populations. Event-related P3 component latency was significantly shorter in the gifted children at Cz (P < 0.05). Inter-peak interval N1-P3 was significantly shorter at all three recording sites (P < 0.01 at Fz and CZ, P < 0.02 at Pz). These results suggest a relationship between the P3 component and cognitive ability in children.