Cortical Auditory Evoked Potentials Elicited by Spanish Words: An Equivalent Current Dipoles Clustering Study

Abstract

Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential (CAEP) has been used to understand the base of physiological processes of speech perception; in order to establish objectively speech-feature discrimination abilities in a subject. The aim of this work was to localize the brain areas of CAEPs activated when four disyllabic Spanish words were used on a passive listening paradigm in normal hearing adults. The clustering of Equivalent Current Dipoles, based on Independent Component Analysis, was used to localize brain areas activated with four words; which were selected from a list of words with a linguistic frequency approach. Our results show a clear division between words: (1) two with an anterior and posterior cingulate location both, and (2) two located at the Wernicke’s area; those areas are involved on speech comprehension. This study could contribute in understanding of the neuronal substrates involved in the perception of words in Spanish and it could be used to measure objectively the performance of subject native speakers of Spanish, users of Hearing Aids and/or Cochlear Implants.