Hemodynamic responses to speech and music in newborn infants

We used near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to study responses to speech and music on the auditory cortices of 13 healthy full‐term newborn infants during natural sleep. The purpose of the study was to investigate the lateralization of speech and music responses at this stage of development. NIRS data was recorded from eight positions on both hemispheres simultaneously with electroencephalography, electrooculography, electrocardiography, pulse oximetry, and inclinometry. In 11 subjects, statistically significant (P < 0.02) oxygenated (HbO(2)) and total hemoglobin (HbT) responses were recorded. Both stimulus types elicited significant HbO(2) and HbT responses on both hemispheres in five subjec…