Trejo, L. J., Inlow, M., Stanny, R. R., Morey, W. A., & Makeig, S.

The auditory evoked potential in a signal classification task using rare and frequent tones was measured by four independent laboratories, to assess the test-retest reliability and interlaboratory consistency of the P300 component Across laboratories, 61 male subjects (three samples of military subjects, n = 25, n = 18, and n = 8; one sample of college students. n = 10). ranging between 18 and 49 years of age were tested. With few exceptions, all experimental and subject factors were controlled. At each of three electrode sites (Fz, Cz, and Pz), peak amplitude, peak latency, and root-mean-square amplitude (RMS), of the P300 were computed for each subject in test and retest conditions. Statistical analyses of the data supported three strong inferences: (1) test-retest reliability and interlaboratory consistency of P300 measures is high for RMS amplitude, lower for peak amplitude, and lowest for peak latency; (2) recordings from site Pz provide higher reliability and consistency than sites Fz or Cz; (3) the RMS amplitude of P300 is negatively correlated with reaction time to correctly classify rare tones. The data support the notion that ERP components, such as P300, can be reliably measured by different laboratories, with a test-retest correlation coefficient of 0.8 or higher.