[Visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials in normal pregnancies and pregnancies complicated by...

The influence of pregnancy induced hypertension (pre-eclampsia) on visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials has been studied. The research was carried out on three groups of women: 63 pregnant women with hypertension, 45 healthy pregnant women and 54 non-pregnant ones. Standard stimulation and recording technique of the evoked potentials was implemented. Comparing pregnant and non-pregnant women no statistically significant differences in the latencies, interlatencies and amplitudes of analyzed components of visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials have been observed. In pre-eclamptic women the latency of the component P100 of the visual potentials, the latency N20 and the interlatency N13-N20 (CCT--central conduction time) of the somatosensory evoked potentials were prolonged. No statistically relevant differences concerning the latency or interlatency of the auditory evoked potentials in both groups of women: healthy pregnant and pre-eclamptic have been found. The amplitudes of the analyzed components of visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials did not differ significantly in both groups. The positive correlation of the latency of component P100 of visual and N20 of somatosensory evoked potentials with MAP (mean arterial pressure) has been observed. In conclusion, pre-eclampsia causes abnormalities in visual and somatosensory evoked potentials. It is assumed that angiogenic changes in brain are the most probable cause of the abnormalities of visual and somatosensory evoked potentials. The practical aspect of neurophysiological research concerning the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia has been indicated.