[Use of visual evoked potentials in neurology--a review. II]

Visual potentials evoked by whole-field pattern reversal (PRVEP) are most frequently used for the diagnosis of damage of the optic nerve. Already in monocular whole-field stimulation typical PRVEP findings could also be observed in case of a damage of the visual pathway in its further course (chiasm or lesion of the optic tract). The application of a hemi-field stimulation led to a distinct improvement of the information value with respect to the presence of a damage of the optic chiasm. A reduction of the amplitudes at the beginning of the disease, the subsequent extension of the P100 latency and the disappearance of a response to the stimulus are considered to be typical. In recent time, the combined application of whole- and hemi-field stimulation also in the diagnosis of lesions of the posterior visual pathway (especially in the region of the occipital lobe) has brought about a certain advance. The results still are contradictory in some respects and require further clarification. The introduction of the VEP into clinical practice as a non-invasive neurophysiological method involving hardly any stress has led to a considerable enrichment of clinical diagnostics and one can still expect a strengthening of this position in conjunction with the increasing perfection of the examination technique.