Effect of graded hypoxia on cortical and spinal somatosensory evoked potentials

Cortical somatosensory evoked potential (CSEP), spinal somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP), and electroencephalogram were recorded in rats under pentobarbital anesthesia. After baseline recordings in room air (21% O2), animals were subjected to a graded hypoxia at 15.75%, 10.5%, and 5.25% oxygen levels for 10 minutes. Each level of hypoxia was followed by a 15-minute reoxygenation period. With a moderate hypoxia (15.75% O2), measured latencies for the CSEP and the SSEP were not significantly different compared with baseline (p greater than 0.05). The CSEP amplitude showed a significant increase (p = 0.02) during reoxygenation after the moderate hypoxia. Change in the latency or amplitude of SSEP at 15.75% hypoxia or during the reoxygenation period was not significant compared with the room air (p greater than 0.05). No change in the electroencephalogram was noticed with the moderate hypoxia. At severe hypoxia (10.5% O2), 80% of the animals lost CSEP within 2 minutes. The loss of CSEP was concomitant with significant attenuation of the electroencephalogram waves. The SSEP was resistant to the severe hypoxia and was present in all animals. We concluded that hypoxia affects CSEP with the tendency to increase the amplitude at moderate hypoxia (15.75%) and loss of the latency and amplitude with severe (10.5%) and extreme (5.25%) hypoxia.