Related Experiment Videos
Somatosensory evoked potentials after posterior tibial nerve stimulation--normative data in children
1University Children's Hospital, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
Insights
This study provides normative somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) data for children, detailing nerve conduction times. These findings are crucial for assessing pediatric neurological function, especially when cortical activity is obscured.
Area of Science:
- Neurophysiology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Evoked Potentials
Background:
- Establishing normative data for somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) in children is essential for accurate neurological assessment.
- Previous research has limited normative SSEP data for pediatric populations, particularly for posterior tibial nerve stimulation.
- Understanding age-related changes in SSEP parameters is critical for interpreting results in developing nervous systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative data for posterior tibial nerve somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) in children aged 4-15 years.
- To analyze age-related changes in peripheral, central, and intracranial conduction times.
- To highlight the utility of subcortical SSEPs in pediatric assessments, especially under sedation or anesthesia.
Main Methods:
- Recorded near-field and far-field potentials following posterior tibial nerve stimulation in 47 children (4-15 years).
- Utilized scalp and peripheral nerve electrodes to capture potentials from various neural pathway segments.
- Analyzed latencies and interpeak intervals to calculate conduction times across different neural regions.
Main Results:
- Near-field potentials N8 (peripheral nerve) and P40 (cortex) were consistently observed.
- Peripheral conduction time (N8-N22) increased with age, while central (N22-P40) and intracranial (P30-P40) conduction times decreased up to age 10.
- Spinal conduction time (N22-P30) showed minimal age-related variation.
Conclusions:
- The study provides valuable normative SSEP data for the pediatric posterior tibial nerve pathway.
- Age-dependent changes in conduction velocities are demonstrated, offering insights into nervous system maturation.
- Subcortical SSEPs are particularly useful for evaluating pediatric patients when cortical SSEP interpretation is compromised.
Abstract:
We report normative data of somatosensory evoked potentials to posterior tibial nerve stimulation from 47 children 4-15 years of age. We recorded near-field potentials from the peripheral nerve, the cauda equina, the lumbar spinal cord and the somatosensory cortex. Far-field potentials were recorded from the scalp electrodes with a reference at Erb's point and on the earlobe. The near-field potentials N8 (peripheral nerve) and P40 (cortex) were present in all children. N20 (near-field from the cauda equina) was recorded in 38 subjects. N22 (near-field from the lumbar spinal cord), P30 and N37 ( both far-field waveforms probably generated in the brainstem) were recorded in 46 subjects each. The latencies and the peripheral conduction time (N8-N22) increased with age, while the central conduction time (N22-P40) and the intracranial conduction time (P30-P40) both decreased with age (up to about 10 years of age). The spinal conduction time (N22-P30) was relatively independent of age. The interpeak latencies allow the assessment of specific portions of this pathway. The subcortical posterior tibial nerve-somatosensory evoked potentials are of particular interest in children when the cortical peaks are influenced by sedation and sleep, or by anaesthesia.