Maturation of T-complex brain response across adolescence

Adolescence is a landmark period of transition from childhood to adulthood that is marked by changes in both brain structure and function. The aim of the current study was to track the development of the brain's function processing of sounds across adolescence. To this end, we measured the t-complex event-related potential to tones and speech at left and right temporal sites in 90 children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years, as well as 10 adults. Across adolescence, Na amplitude increased to tones and speech at the right, but not left, temporal site. Ta amplitude decreased at the right temporal site for tones, and at both sites for speech. The Tb remained constant at both sides. The Na and Ta appeared to mature later in the right than left hemisphere. In addition, the Na and Ta t-complex peaks matured at an earlier age in the left hemisphere than the right hemisphere. This data, combined with that of previous studies, show the functional processing of sound continued to develop across adolescence into adulthood, particularly in the right hemisphere.