Abstract
Bioelectric brain maturation of twenty infants who had suffered acute perinatal hypoxia
(patients) was compared with that of twenty healthy newborns (controls). None of the
patients had suffered any other pre- or perinatal complications that could have influenced
the bioelectric brain maturation. All infants (postmenstrual age: 40—42 weeks) were
subjected to a polygraphic recording. The patients were examined after the acute phase
of their disease; all were in good clinical condition at the time of recording. Statistic
evaluation revealed significantly retarded bioelectric brain maturation in the patient
group. Furthermore, a more immature EEG pattern was found to correspond to greater
extent of oxygen deprivation. The study shows: determination of bioelectric brain
maturation can be used to obtain information about suffered hypoxia and extent of
oxygen deprivation.
Keyword
Perinatal hypoxia - bioelectric brain maturation
