P300 in Clinical Applications: Meaning, Method, and Measurement

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Abstract
The P300 (P3) event-related brain potential (ERP) is sensitive to the cognitive changes resulting from normal aging and the mental decline associated with dementia and other cognitive disorders. The relationship between the P3 ERP and the cognitive dysfunction found in dementing illness is reviewed to provide context for discussion of the theoretical meaning, appropriate methods, and measurement of the P3 component in clinical populations. The utility of the P3 with respect to extraneous factors that can contribute to its normal variability also is examined. It is concluded that the P3 ERP can provide useful information about cognitive function in a clinical setting, but that task and biological factors must be considered in order to obtain more precise and interpretable results.