Neurológia pre prax 4/2020

Evoked potentials

Evoked potentials (EPs) are electrical responses arising in the nervous system. EPs are evoked by different stimuli of the specific modality. According to the stimulated part of the nervous system, we divide them into visual (VEP, Visual Evoked Potentials), auditory (BAEP, Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials), somatosensory (SEP, Somatosensory Evoked Potentials) and motor (MEP, Motor Evoked Potentials) evoked potentials. Absence of the response is the most significant abnormal finding of EPs. Other important parameters are decrease of the amplitude and prolongation of the latency. When indicating the examination of EPs, the correct question asked by the indicating physician is necessary. The results of EPs can significantly contribute to the final diagnosis.

Keywords: evoked potentials, VEP, BAEP, SEP, MEP, neurophysiology