Somatosensory evoked potentials following stimulation of the trigeminal nerve in man

1979 ◽  
Vol 220 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. St�hr ◽  
F. Petruch
Neurosurgery ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumio Shima ◽  
Takato Morioka ◽  
Shozo Tobimatsu ◽  
Omiros Kavaklis ◽  
Motohiro Kato ◽  
...  

Abstract To improve the localization of stereotactic targets, somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were recorded from the thalamus and subthalamic area using a specially designed semimicroelectrode in 61 patients and a conventional “macroclectrode” in 17 patients. By means of the semimicroelectrode, median nerve stimulation evoked two distinct SEPs, consisting of a diphasic wave with a huge positivity restricted to the nucleus ventrocaudalis (Vc) and a triphasic wave of lower amplitude with a major negativity in the ventral part of the nucleus ventrointermedius (Vim) and nucleus ventrooralis posterior (Vop) as well as the subthalamic lemniscal pathway. The Vim-Vc junction could thus be clearly delineated by an abrupt transition of SEPs from one type to the other with a precision of 1 mm. The parvicellular part of the Vc (Vcpc). situated in its basal region, was distinguishable from the Vc proper by a significant reduction of the positivity elicited by stimulation of the median nerve and by a rapid growth of a diphasic SEPs to stimulation of the posterior tibial nerve. In the other thalamic nuclei, stimulation of the median nerve elicited triphasic SEPs of a very small amplitude, suggesting a volume conduction current from the lemniscal pathway. With the macroclectrode, the positivity in the Vc was sensitive to electrode manipulation and the thalamic nuclei could not be distinctly outlined. SEP monitoring using the semimicroelectrode significantly improved the precision of target localization, which allowed minimizing of the volume of the therapeutic lesion without losing surgical effectiveness, while avoiding complications associated with increased penetration of the coagulating electrode. It is suggested that recording serial thalamic SEPs with the semimicroelectrode is a practical method to refine stereotactic targets in the thalamus.


2011 ◽  
Vol 106 (6) ◽  
pp. 3082-3090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin R. Davis ◽  
Brian C. Horslen ◽  
Kei Nishikawa ◽  
Katie Fukushima ◽  
Romeo Chua ◽  
...  

Clinical and experimental research has demonstrated that the emotional experience of fear and anxiety impairs postural stability in humans. The current study investigated whether changes in fear and anxiety can also modulate spinal stretch reflexes and the gain of afferent inputs to the primary somatosensory cortex. To do so, two separate experiments were performed on two separate groups of participants while they stood under conditions of low and high postural threat. In experiment 1, the proprioceptive system was probed using phasic mechanical stimulation of the Achilles tendon while simultaneously recording the ensuing tendon reflexes in the soleus muscle and cortical-evoked potentials over the somatosensory cortex during low and high threat conditions. In experiment 2, phasic electrical stimulation of the tibial nerve was used to examine the effect of postural threat on somatosensory evoked potentials. Results from experiment 1 demonstrated that soleus tendon reflex excitability was facilitated during states of height-induced fear and anxiety while the magnitude of the tendon-tap-evoked cortical potential was not significantly different between threat conditions. Results from experiment 2 demonstrated that the amplitudes of somatosensory-evoked potentials were also unchanged between threat conditions. The results support the hypothesis that muscle spindle sensitivity in the triceps surae muscles may be facilitated when humans stand under conditions of elevated postural threat, although the presumed increase in spindle sensitivity does not result in higher afferent feedback gain at the level of the somatosensory cortex.


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