Somatosensory evoked potentials: technique, interpretation and clinical applications

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) are electrical potentials that measure various parts of the ascending somatosensory pathways. They are elicited through stimulating mixed nerves, with subsequent orthodromic stimulation of sensory nerves. Despite advances in imaging, SSEPs complement both the clinical examination and peripheral neurophysiological studies when assessing the functional integrity of the sensory pathways, being especially helpful when imaging is inconclusive. We describe the technique of performing SSEPs and the anatomical substrates of their waveforms, and we highlight important clinical applications both in central and peripheral nervous system disorders.