Scalp topography of the short-latency components of the respiratory-related evoked potential in children

Abstract

Respiratory-related evoked potentials (RREPs) have been elicited by inspiratory occlusion and recorded at electroencephalographic (EEG) sites overlying the somatosensory cortex in adults. The present study was the first to be conducted in normal children and was designed to identify the scalp distribution of the early RREP components. EEG responses to occlusion were recorded from CZ-C3, CZ-C4, and 17 sites referenced to the linked earlobes. The RREP was observed in all subjects in the CZ-C3 and CZ-C4 electrode pairs. The earlobe-referenced recordings revealed two RREP patterns. The P1 and N1 peaks were found in C3, C4, P3, P4, T3, and T4. The RREPs recorded from the F3, F4, F7, and F8 electrodes did not exhibit either the P1 or N1 peaks. A negative peak (NF) occurred approximately 13 ms after the P1 peak. The results show that the RREPs to inspiratory occlusions were present bilaterally but diminished greatly over midline sites. Furthermore, consistent with mechanically and electrically elicited somatosensory evoked potentials, the RREP displayed a polarity inversion over the central sulcus in the early component latency range.