If a test was done on a person in which they were exposed to different stimuli and their brain response time was measured what would be the fastest. I'm sorry if I've phrased this incorrectly. I'm essentially thinking of the following. While a person is connected to an EEG (or other such brain monitoring device) and they were exposed in turn to a flash of light, a loud sound, and an easily detectable physical sensation. Which of those would have the smallest amount of time between the stimulation and a burst of brain activity?

Thanks!

 

(I'm sorry if I stuck this in the wrong subforum)

Physical stimuli, I think.

Stimulation of the cranial nerves would be fastest. These have shorter and simpler pathways to the cortex. The peripheral sensory nerves have a longer way to go (even at conduction rates of 300 metres per second, it makes a difference) plus, there are usually three separate nerves involved (peripheral nerve to spine - spine to thalamus and thalamus to cortex).

 

Event related Potentials (ERPs) from visual or auditory stimuli can be measured at around 25ms. (0.025 of a second).