[Exogenous evoked potentials in adolesccents with muftiple sclerosis]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. The disease usually affects young people, with a peak onset between the ages of 20 and 40, although it may also occur in early childhood. MS is one of the most common reasons of disability in young people. Aim of the study. The aim of the study was a neurophysiological characterisation of patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) eligible to receive an.

In this study 23 patients have been included. According to initial symptoms two categories of patients were identified: in one group [group 1] (12123) there were patients with focal signs such as motor andlor sensory abnormalities while the second one [group 2] (11123) consisted of patients with retrobulbar optic neuritis.

There were no significant differences in VEP latencies and amplitudes in both I and 2 group. In both groups a significant latency prolongation as well as P100 amplitude decrease has been observed in comparison to the control group. Furthermore, the study has shown that the average latencies of N75 and N135 in group 2 were prolongated when compared to the control group. In BAEP examination no statistically relevant differences have been observed between average latencies and interlatencies in group I and group 2 as well as between the two test groups and control group. In SSEP examination group I has demonstrated a substantial latency prolongation of P14, NIB and N20 when compared to the control group, and the same result for P14, N20, P25 and CCT has been detected in group 2. The average amplitudes of all waves in group I were insignificantly lower than in the control group. In group 2 an insignificant decrease of amplitudes P9 and P18 from the control group has been noticed. In contrast, P25 amplitude was significantly lower.

I. Visual evoked potentials test is an effective neurophysiological method in a diagnosis of subclinical focal demyelination in CNS. 2. Auditory pathway is highly resistant to demyelination processes in CNS. 3. The presence of changes in somatosensory evoked potentials indicates a demand for further precise diagnosis of spinal location of MS.