Somatosensory evoked potentials reflect the upper limb motor performance in multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Neurology
• Clinical Neurophysiology

Background:

• Multiple S100 sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system.
• Upper limb impairment is a common and disabling symptom in MS patients.
• Objective measures are needed to assess the functional impact of MS on the upper limbs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the relationship between somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) parameters and upper limb impairment in MS patients.
• To correlate electrophysiological findings with patient-reported outcomes and objective clinical measures.
• To enhance the clinical utility of SEPs in MS management.

Main Methods:

• Multicentric study involving 39 MS patients.
• Median nerve SEPs (N9, P14, N20 responses, interpeak latencies) were recorded.
• Upper limb function assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and the 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT).

Main Results:

• Abnormal SEPs were associated with significantly longer 9-HPT completion times.
• Patients with undetectable N20 or P14 responses showed significantly impaired dexterity.
• Undetectable P14 responses correlated with significantly worse DASH scores, indicating greater patient-perceived disability.

Conclusions:

• Median nerve SEPs are significantly related to upper limb performance and patient-reported outcomes in MS.
• SEPs provide valuable objective information for interpreting upper limb impairment in MS.
• These findings support the increased significance of SEPs in both clinical practice and research for MS.