[Somatosensory evoked potentials and sensory conduction time along the spinal cord in multiple sclerosis]

Somatosensory evoked potentials were studied upon the stimulation of the hands and legs in 20 patients with disseminated sclerosis and in 10 healthy subjects. The study revealed changes in evoked potentials in the form of a decreased amplitude and increased latent periods of the early components. Calculating the difference between the latent periods of corresponding components of the potentials induced upon stimulating the legs and hands, the authors determined the time of the sensory conduction along the spinal cord which was lengthened in patients with disseminated sclerosis. The results obtained make it possible to use the calculation of the time of sensory spinal conduction in the diagnosis of disseminated sclerosis.