J Korean Neurol Assoc.  2002 May;20(3):243-247.

Somatosensory and Motor Evoked Potentials in Parkinson's Disease

• Choi SA
• Lim SR
• Lee JH

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There are conflicting reports on the attenuationof the frontal N30 component of the median nerve derived somatosensory evoked potentials(MN SSEP) and the P37-N45 component of the posterior tibial nerve derived somatosensory evoked potentials(PT SSEP) in Parkinson's disease(PD). The central motor conduction time(CMCT) and the threshold of the magnetic motor evoked potentials(MEP) in PD also demonstrate inconsistent results.
METHODS
We studied MN SSEP, PT SSEP and MEP in 10 patients with PD and compared them with 10 normal controls.
RESULTS
The latency and amplitude of MN SSEP was normal in the patients with PD and, in particular, the frontal N30 compo-nent was not significantly depressed. There was no difference between the PD patients and the normal controls in the CMCT and the amplitude of arm and leg MEP. But compared with the normal controls, the latency of P37 cortical evoked potentials was prolonged and transmagnetic stimulation(TMS) threshold for evoking responses in relaxed or active tibialis anterior muscle decreased in the patients with PD.
CONCLUSIONS
Recording of MEP threshold in tibialis anterior muscle and P37 latency of PT SSEP may be useful for the evaluation of patients with PD.

Keyword

Parkinson's disease; Somatosensory, Motor; Evoked potentials

MeSH Terms

Arm
Evoked Potentials
Evoked Potentials, Motor*
Humans
Leg
Median Nerve
Parkinson Disease*
Tibial Nerve