What is a somatosensory evoked potential study?

An somatosensory evoked potention test (SEP) studies the relay of body sensations to your brain and how the brain receives those sensations. A stimulating electrode is placed on your arm or leg, and it generates an electrical signal. Recording electrodes are placed on your head and/or spine.

How do you measure somatosensory evoked potentials?

Somatosensory evoked response (SSER) test. He or she will apply a mild electrical stimulus through the electrodes. Electrodes on your scalp then determine the amount of time it takes for the current to travel along the nerves to the brain.

What is a somatosensory test?

Somatosensory testing involves the application of a series of brief electrical stimuli over peripheral nerves (e.g., the median, peroneal, and tibial nerves) and recording the resulting evoked potentials over proximal portions of the nerves and central pathways which were stimulated, the plexus, spine and/or scalp.

Is an SSEP test painful?

The SSEP testing procedure is usually painless; the electrical impulses used as the stimulus are very small. Side effects from the procedure are very rare, though there is a chance you may have some minor skin irritation from the electrodes.

What can evoked potential diagnose?

Evoked potential test and results. Evoked potential tests measure the time it takes for the brain to respond to sensory stimulation either through sight, sound, or touch. Doctors use the test to help diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) and other conditions that can cause a person’s reactions to slow.

How do I read my Baer test results?

What Do the Test Results Mean? A printout of your test results should show spikes in your brain activity each time you heard one of the clicking sounds or other tones. If your results show flat lines when one of the tones or clicking sounds was played, it may indicate that you have hearing loss.

What does evoked potential measure?

Evoked potentials are used to measure the electrical activity in certain areas of the brain and spinal cord. Electrical activity is produced by stimulation of specific sensory nerve pathways. These tests are used in combination with other diagnostic tests to assist in the diagnosis of neurological disorders.

What does an abnormal visual evoked potential mean?

This refers to inflammation of the optic nerve, associated with swelling and progressive destruction of the sheath covering the nerve, and sometimes the nerve cable. As the nerve sheath is damaged, the time it takes for electrical signals to be conducted to the eyes is prolonged, resulting in an abnormal VEP.

What are visual evoked potentials used for?

VEPs are used primarily to measure the functional integrity of the visual pathways from retina via the optic nerves to the visual cortex of the brain. VEPs better quantify functional integrity of the optic pathways than scanning techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).