Cerebral evoked potentials after rectal stimulation

We obtained reproducible cortical evoked potentials (EPs) in response to electrical stimulation of the rectum with 1 Hz frequency. We found 2 distinctly different EPs in response to rectal stimulation. In 5 females, the EP had an early onset latency (mean 26 msec) with multiple positive and negative peaks. In 10 females, the EP had a later onset latency (mean 52 msec) and a trifid configuration, having a very prominent negative peak. The early onset EPs after rectal stimulation appeared very similar to the wave form of the cortical EPs recorded after pudendal nerve stimulation. Finding similar interpeak latencies in the early onset EP after rectal stimulation and the EP after pudendal nerve stimulation suggests that either the same pathway was used or that rectal stimulation also stimulated the pudendal nerve. It appears that we stimulated visceral afferents when we recorded late onset EPs, because the large EP amplitude declined rapidly with faster stimulation rates and also with greater number of averaging, and the sensation threshold was very unstable, all different to somatosensory EPs.     

Cerebral responses evoked by stimulation of the vesico-urethral junction in normal subjects

Following the bipolar stimulation of the vesico-urethral junction (VUJ), evoked potentials (EPs) with a late and prominent negativity (mean latency 91.4 ± 11.0 msec) were recorded from scalp in 22 male subjects. Although remarkable intersubject variations occurred, no peak variation could be seen in any given subject. Maximum amplitude of the EPs was recorded from Cz and CzP points. Stimuli with various frequencies did not lead to any differences in shape and latency of EPs.The differences between the EPs by bipolar stimulation of the VUJ and the responses elicited by distal urethal and pudendal nerve stimulation suggest that, during bipolar stimulation of VUJ, the somatic afferents were not excited. Therefore, these responses were most likely due to the excitement of the visceral afferents arising from the VUJ separately. This method may be a useful technique for evaluating the physiological condition of the afferent nerves arising from VUJ.     

Mechanisms of reflex bladder activation by pudendal afferents

Activation of pudendal afferents can evoke bladder contraction or relaxation dependent on the frequency of stimulation, but the mechanisms of reflex bladder excitation evoked by pudendal afferent stimulation are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the contributions of sympathetic and parasympathetic mechanisms to bladder contractions evoked by stimulation of the dorsal nerve of the penis (DNP) in α-chloralose anesthetized adult male cats. Bladder contractions were evoked by DNP stimulation only above a bladder volume threshold equal to 73 ± 12% of the distension-evoked reflex contraction volume threshold. Bilateral hypogastric nerve transection (to eliminate sympathetic innervation of the bladder) or administration of propranolol (a β-adrenergic antagonist) decreased the stimulation-evoked and distension-evoked volume thresholds by -25% to -39%. Neither hypogastric nerve transection nor propranolol affected contraction magnitude, and robust bladder contractions were still evoked by stimulation at volume thresholds below the distension-evoked volume threshold. As well, inhibition of distention-evoked reflex bladder contractions by 10 Hz stimulation of the DNP was preserved following bilateral hypogastric nerve transection. Administration of phentolamine (an α-adrenergic antagonist) increased stimulation-evoked and distension-evoked volume thresholds by 18%, but again, robust contractions were still evoked by stimulation at volumes below the distension-evoked threshold. These results indicate that sympathetic mechanisms contribute to establishing the volume dependence of reflex contractions but are not critical to the excitatory pudendal to bladder reflex. A strong correlation between the magnitude of stimulation-evoked bladder contractions and bladder volume supports that convergence of pelvic afferents and pudendal afferents is responsible for bladder excitation evoked by pudendal afferents. Further, abolition of stimulation-evoked bladder contractions following administration of hexamethonium bromide confirmed that contractions were generated by pelvic efferent activation via the pelvic ganglion. These findings indicate that pudendal afferent stimulation evokes bladder contractions through convergence with pelvic afferents to increase pelvic efferent activity.     

Non-painful and painful stimulation of human skin and muscle: analysis of cerebral evoked potentials

The present study compared the cerebral processing of non-painful and painful cutaneous CO₂ laser stimulation and intramuscular electrical stimulation in 11 normal subjects. The overall wave form morphology of the long-latency evoked potentials (EPs) at the central vertex (Cz) was identical and surface topographic mappings of the 21-channel recordings showed similar distributions, suggesting involvement of common neural generators. However, the EPs caused by intramuscular stimulation differed from cutaneous stimulation in several distinct ways. First, the latency of the major positive and negative components were significantly shorter with intramuscular stimulation (N 128–145 ms; P 274–298 ms) compared to cutaneous stimulation (N 235–286 ms; P 371–383 ms) (P<0.001). Second, the peak-to-peak amplitude and root-mean-square values of intramuscular EPs recorded at Cz showed a ceiling effect in the painful range, whereas the laser EPs continued to increase in this range. Third, painful intramuscular, but not non-painful, stimulation caused a frontal activity which not was observed with cutaneous laser stimulation at any intensity. Conduction velocity measurements indicated activation of nociceptive A-delta afferents with cutaneous laser stimulation (10.2±0.2 m/s) and activation of a mixed nerve fiber population with intramuscular electrical stimulation (65.8±25.8 m/s). Differences between laser and intramuscular EPs may be due to different types and origins of activated afferent fibers. Laser EPs can be used specifically to assess cutaneous A-delta fiber function, whereas intramuscular EPs reflect the cerebral processing of a mixed afferent input from muscle tissue.     

Single-sweep cortical somatosensory evoked potentials: N20 and evoked bursts in sevoflurane anaesthesia

Cortical evoked responses to median nerve stimulation were recorded from 21 subjects during sevoflurane anaesthesia at the level of burst suppression in EEG. The N20/P22 wave had the typical form of a negative wave postcentrally, and positive precentrally. The amplitude exceeded 4 μV in all patients, making it easily visible without averaging on the low-amplitude suppression. These results show that two kinds of somatosensory evoked potential can be studied without averaging during EEG suppression in deep anaesthesia. One is the localised N20/P22 wave, which is seen regularly during suppression after stimuli with intervals exceeding 1 s. The other is the burst, involving the whole cortex, which is not evoked by every stimulus. We suggest that somatosensory evoked potentials can be monitored during sevoflurane-induced EEG suppression, and often can be evaluated reliably from a couple of single sweeps with stimulation interval exceeding 1 s. The enhancement of early cortical components of SEP, their adaptation to repeated stimuli, and the disappearance of later polysynaptic components during EEG suppression, give new possibilities to study the generators of SEP and the different effects of anaesthetics.     

Evoked potentials in the frog medulla to electrical stimulation of the glossopharyngeal nerve

Evoked potentials in the frog medulla to stimulation of the glossopharyngeal nerve appear on the ipsilateral side in a zone of limited area. They are recorded at depths not exceeding 2000 µ. Depending on their form the surface evoked potentials are divided into two groups, negative and positive—negative, differing from each other in their parameters and properties. During insertion of the microelectrode the phase of the negative potential is changed. The principal slow components of the responses reflect postsynaptic processes. The first fast wave of the evoked potential is regarded as the presynaptic component. Differences in the properties of the evoked potential recorded at different points are determined by the neuromorphological heterogeneity of the structures of the primary center.     

Direct recording of somatosensory evoked potentials in the vicinity of the dorsal column nuclei in man: their generator mechanisms and contribution to the scalp far-field potentials

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in the vicinity of the dorsal column nuclei in response to electrical stimulation of the median nerve (MN) and posterior tibial nerve (PTN) were studied by analyzing the wave forms, topographical distribution, effects of higher rates of stimulation and correlation with components of the scalp-recorded SEPs. Recordings were done on 4 patients with spasmodic torticollis during neurosurgical operations for microvascular decompression of the eleventh nerve. The dorsal column SEPs to MN stimulation (MN-SEPs) were characterized by a major negative wave (N1; 13 msec in mean latency), preceded by a small positivity (P1) and followed by a large positive wave (P2). Similar wave forms (P1′-N1′-P2′) were obtained with stimulation of PTN (PTN-SEPs), with a mean latency of N1′ being 28 msec. Maximal potentials of MN-SEPs and PTN-SEPs were located in the vicinity of the ipsilateral cuneate and gracile nuclei, respectively, at a level slightly caudal to the nuclei. The latencies of P1 and N1 increased progressively at more rostral cervical cord segments and medulla, but that of P2 did not. A higher rate of stimulation (16 Hz) caused no effects on P1 and N1, while it markedly attenuated the P2 component. These findings suggest that P1 and N1 of MN-SEPs, as well as P1′ and N1′ of PTN-SEPs, are generated by the dorsal column fibers, and P2 and P2′ are possibly of postsynaptic origin in the respective dorsal column nuclei.The peak latency of N1 recorded on the cuneate nucleus was identical with the scalp-recorded far-field potential of P13–14 in all patients, while no scalp components were found which corresponded to P2. These findings support the previous assumption that the scalp-recorded P13–14 is generated by the presynaptic activities of the dorsal column fibers at their terminals in the cuneate nucleus.     

Evoked potentials during the elaboration of a conditioned reflex to hippocampal stimulation in rats

In experiments on 9 rats, the study of evoked potentials (EPs) of the CA1 field of the dorsal hippocampus to stimulation of its symmetrical part serving as a signal of drinking conditioned reflex (CR) showed that during reflex elaboration, the amplitude of the main EP components significantly decreased; CR did not appear when the population spike (PS) was absent in the hippocampal response. PS always accompanying CR was not specific only of it, it was also recorded at other behavioural reactions. Changes of fascia dentata EPs in the process of CR elaboration to stimulation of its symmetrical part consisted in decrease of the initial negative wave and increase of the positive one. The obtained data point to a significant reconstruction of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to the hippocampus and fascia dentata under the influence of conditioned activity.     

Interactions of human cord dorsum potential.

The slow positive wave (P2 wave) of the evoked spinal electrogram was recorded from the posterior epidural space in wakeful man, and studied by applying several modes of peripheral nerve stimulation. With graded stimulation the P2 wave amplitude rapidly reached the maximum at weaker stimulation than that required for the initially positive spikes (P1) and the preceding negative (N1) wave. The "second" component of the P2 appeared during stronger stimulation or during excitemenpt of the subjects. With prolonged repetitive stimulation the P2 wave increased its duration with several summits on the decaying phase. Two interactions were observed between the P2 waves produced by conditioning and testing stimulations in the same or different nerves: inhibition or occlusion by strong stimulation and faciliation by weak stimulation. Thus, the characteristic of the P2 wave in man was similar in part to that of the positive wave observed in decerebrate animals, and differnt in other ways presumably due to influences from supraspinal structures or species differences.     

Early scalp responses evoked by stimulation of the supraorbital nerve in man

In 25 healthy volunteers the supraorbital nerve was stimulated and evoked potentials were recorded. Leads were placed on the scalp and along the ipsilateral eyebrow-mastoid line and were either referred to a non-cephalic reference (on the neck, or Cv7) or linked to form bipolar derivations. As template wave form was chosen the one obtained from derivation Cz-Cv7, which had an initial triphasic component with negative (SW1a), positive (SW1b), negative (SW1c) polarity (mean latencies 0.63, 0.95 and 1.43 msec), followed by 2 negative waves (SW2 and SW3, mean latencies of 2.20 and 2.89 msec). A final positive wave could be observed in most cases (SP4, mean latency of 4.08 msec). The records collected from the various derivations showed that each component (SW1, SW2, SW3 and SP4) had a different behaviour, thus suggesting separate origins. SW1 would originate from a volley travelling from the point of stimulation towards the mastoid, probably across the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. The subsequent components would be generated by deeply situated structures: double pulse stimulation suggests that SW1, SW2 and SW3 are generated before the first synapse, whereas SP4 is a postsynaptic event. A strong similarity exists between the components evoked by stimulation of the supraorbital and the infraorbital nerves. Local anaesthetic block of the frontal nerve on the stimulated side and monitoring of the EMG activity of m. orbicularis oculi and m. frontalis ruled out any muscle contamination of the responses described in this paper.     

Orexin-A modulates glutamatergic NMDA-dependent spinal reflex potentiation via inhibition of NR2B subunit

Glucose-sensitive neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area produce orexin-A (OxA) as well as orexin-B (OxB) and send their axons to the spinal dorsal horn, which predominantly expresses orexin receptor-1 (OX-1), showing a higher sensitivity to OxA. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of OxA on the induction of a novel form of activity-dependent reflex potentiation, spinal reflex potentiation (SRP), in the pelvic-urethral reflex activity. External urethra sphincter electromyogram in response to pelvic afferent nerve test stimulation (TS; 1/30 Hz) or repetitive stimulation (RS; 1 Hz) was recorded in anesthetized rats. TS evoked a baseline reflex activity, whereas RS produced SRP, which was abolished by intrathecal OxA (30 nM, 10 mul). Intrathecal SB-408124 (10 muM, 10 mul), an OX-1 antagonist, reversed the abolition on SRP caused by OxA. Although there is, so far, no NR2A- and NR2B-specific agonist available, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) reversed the abolition on the RS-induced SRP caused by the co-administration of OxA and Co-101244 (30 nM, 10 mul; an NMDA NR2B subunit antagonist), but it did not reverse the abolition by the co-administration of OxA and PPPA (300 nM, 10 mul; an NMDA NR2A subunit antagonist). In conclusion, the activation of descending orexinergic fibers may inhibit the repetitive afferent input-induced central sensitization of pelvic-urethral reflex activity and urethra hyperactivity, indicating that spinal orexinergic neural transmission may be a novel target for the treatment of patients with neuropathetic or postinflammatory pain of pelvic origin.     

Modulation of vibrissa-evoked cortical potentials after infraorbital nerve crush in rats

Cortical potentials evoked by unilateral stimulation of the major vibrissae were recorded in 12 rats subjected to unilateral crush of the infraorbital nerve. Immediately after nerve crushing, the latency of the initial positive potential evoked at contralateral scalp sites by stimulating the vibrissae of the nerve-crushed side was increased. In contrast, the latency of the ipsilaterally evoked potential was shortened. The relative amplitude of the negative component to the positive one of the evoked potentials tended, immediately after the nerve crush, to be smaller on the contralateral cortex (N/P-contra) and greater on the ipsilateral cortex (N/P-ipsi). These changes disappeared largely by the 2nd post-operative week. It is suggested that reduction of the tactile signals transmitted through the crossed pathway is responsible for the prolonged latency and the smaller N/P-contra. Shortening of the ipsilateral latency and the enhanced N/P-ipsi may be due to liberation of the ipsilateral sensory system from inhibition by the contralateral one.     

Somatosensory evoked potentials after removal of somatosensory cortex in man

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to median nerve, ulnar nerve, thumb, middle finger, and posterior tibial nerve stimulation were recorded in a patient with a discrete resection of part of the postcentral somatosensory cortex as a treatment for focal epilepsy. Comparison of the different stimulation sites confirmed electrophysiologically the restricted locus of the lesion. The results strongly suggest that the early negative component (N20) and subsequent components recorded postcentrally are of cortical origin and depend upon postcentral gyrus cytoarchitectonic areas 3, 2, and 1. Moreover, these postcentral SEPs are distinct from precentrally recorded activity.     

刺激大鼠颈體背外侧束诱发的脊髓电场电位

电刺激大鼠颈髓背外侧束(DLF),在脊髓腰段用微电极记录到—诱发场电位,将其长时程慢电位正波称为 DLF-FP。DLF-FP 的潜伏期为7.22±1.41ms,达峰时间为15.12±5.58ms,时程为93.92±9.06ms。绘制 DLF-FP 等电位图发现:其负电场中心位于背表面下1.0—1.3mm,与外周传入诱发的场电位(P_1-FP)的起源部位基本一致。印防己毒素抑制DLF-FP,士的宁加强 DLF-FP。在一定时间范围内,先后刺激腓肠神经和 DLF,两者所诱发的场电位具有总和和抑制现象。这些结果表明 DLF-FP 是初级传入末梢去极化的反映,可能和刺激外周神经诱发的场电位共用脊髓环路。     

Pretecto-tectal influences

(1)From the dorsal surface of the toad (Bufo b. spinosus, B. marinus) optic tectum (OT), field potentials (FP) were recorded at 9 reference sites in response to electrical stimulation of the optic nerve (ON). The FP showed 4 main components, besides an initial deflection attributed to axonal potentials: two negative waves N1, N2 (attributed to postsynaptic excitatory processes) and two positive waves P2, P3 (attributed to postsynaptic inhibitory processes). The responses across the reference sites were rather similar in different individuals. (2) Electrical stimulation of an area in the ipsilateral pretectal lateral posterodorsal and posterior (Lpd/P) thalamic region evoked tectal FPs showing mainly a negative and a positive wave. Regarding wave amplitudes, the FPs displayed disproportionalities across the reference sites. (3) Electrical stimulation of the contralateral Lpd/P evoked mainly a positive wave in the tectal FP whose disproportionality corresponded roughly to the one obtained to ipsilateral Lpd/P stimulation. (4) The inital negative wave of the tectal FP in response to ON stimulation was nearly abolished, if Lpd/P stimulation preceded ON stimulation at a delay of 17–25 ms. (5) Since FPs showed adaptation to repetitive stimulation, various experiments were carried out to distinguish adaptation phenomena from effects of neuronal interactions between Lpd/P and OT. (6) The results provide evidence that ON- and Lpd/P-mediated inputs interact in superficial tectal layers, whereby pretectotectal input suppresses retinotectal excitatory information transfer. Input of Lpd/P to the contralateral superficial OT suggests postsynaptic inhibition. This study provides no information about pretectal inputs to deeper tectal layers, which anatomically are known to exist.Abbreviations A-I recording sites from the dorsal tectal surface - D _t delay between Lpd/P and ON stimulation - EPSP IPSP excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, respectively - FP field potential - L latency of FP waves - ON optic nerve - OT optic tectum - Lpd/P lateral posterodorsal and posterior pretectal thalamic region - Lpv lateral posteroventral pretectal thalamic nucleus - N, P negative and positive waves of FPs, respectively - PRE presynaptic axonal input - TH pretectal thalamic neurons     

盆神经和阴部神经传入在大鼠腰骶髓的相互作用

应用条件－检验刺激技术观察时间依赖性抑制现象是研究传入信息相互作用的方式之一。用１．５－３倍阈刺激强度的电脉冲交替刺激麻醉、麻痹的盆神经（Ｐｅ）和阴部神经（Ｐｕ）,以玻璃微电极在Ｌ６－Ｓ１节段脊髓背角会聚神经元上记录细胞外放电。条件输入可对深层（＞３００μｍ）单位的检验反应产生时间依赖性抑制效应,产生抑制的刺激间期为１－３６０ｍｓ,Ｐｅ为条件刺激时较长。浅层细胞（＜３００μｍ）发生抑制的间期为１－     

Nerve,spinal cord and brain somatosensory evoked responses: a comparative study during electrical and magnetic peripheral nerve stimulation

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and compound nerve action potentials (cNAPs) have been recorded in 15 subjects during electrical and magnetic nerve stimulation. Peripheral records were gathered at Erb's point and on nerve trunks at the elbow during median and ulnar nerve stimulation at the wrist. Erb responses to electrical stimulation were larger in amplitude and shorter in duration than the magnetic ones when ‘electrical’ and ‘magnetic’ compound muscle action potentials (cMAPs) of comparable amplitudes were elicited. SEPs were recorded respectively at Cv7 and on the somatosensory scalp areas contra- and ipsilateral to the stimulated side. SEPs showed a statistically significant difference in amplitude only for the brachial plexus response and for the ‘cortical’ N20-P25 complex; differences were not found between the magnetic and electrical central conduction times (CCTs) or for the peripheral nerve response latencies. Magnetic stimulation preferentially excited the motor and proprioceptive fibres when the nerve trunks were stimulated at motor threshold intensities.     

Evoked potentials in the parietal cortex in response to stimulation of the posterolateral nucleus of the thalamus in kittens of different ages

In kittens of the first month of postnatal life, studies have been made of the evoked potentials in the parietal cortex elicited by stimulation of the posterior lateral thalamic nuclei. It is suggested that within the first days of life the EPs result mainly from the electrical activity of the deep (V-VI) layers of the cortex. This suggestion is confirmed by a significant increase in the velocity of the rising phase and the decrease of the duration of the EPs in the deep layers in newborn animals, as well as partial inversion of the negative wave of the EP at the level of these layers in 1-week kittens. Total depth of the median layers in 1-week kittens is twice less than that in 1 month old ones. To the end of the 2nd week, the input of the activity of the median layers into total activity increases: the focus of partial inversion of the negative wave of the EPs is translocated upward to the border of layers II-III. In 1-month kittens, the general pattern of the EPs in the parietal cortex is the same as in adult cats.     

Morphological and electrophysiological consequences of unilateral pre- versus postganglionic vestibular lesions in the frog

The combined removal of the labyrinthine sense organs and of the ganglion of Scarpa on one side (postganglionic section) resulted in a degeneration of afferent fibres in the eighth nerve of the frog (Rana temporaria) within 2–4 days. If the eighth nerve was sectioned more peripherally (preganglionic section) and its distal part was removed together with the labyrinthine organs degeneration of afferent fibres was absent or restricted to very few fibres. Electrical stimulation of vestibular afferents in vitro evoked monosynaptic field potentials in the ipsilateral and via commissural fibres di-and polysynaptic field potentials in the contralateral vestibular nuclei. Afferent-evoked field potentials recorded on the intact side of chronic frogs ( 60 days) with a preor postganglionic lesion and afferent-evoked field potentials recorded on the operated side of chronic frogs with a preganglionic lesion had amplitudes that were very similar to those recorded in control frogs. Commissurally evoked field potentials recorded on the operated side of chronic frogs with preor postganglionic lesions were significantly increased (by about 90%) with respect to control amplitudes. In both groups the time-course of this increase was very similar, started between 15 and 30 days and saturated for survival periods longer than 60 days. Unilateral inactivation of vestibular afferents, but not degeneration, is the likely common denominator of the central process leading to the reported neural changes. A reactive supersensitivity of central vestibular neurons on the operated side for glutamate as a possible mechanism is unlikely, since converging afferent and commissural inputs are both glutamatergic and only one of them, the commissural input, was potentiated. Comparison of the time-courses of neural changes in the vestibular nuclei and postural recovery in the same individuals excludes a causal relation between both phenomena.Abbreviations HL hemilabyrinthectomy - VNC vestibular nuclear complex - HRP horseradish peroxidase - N. VIII eighth nerve - N. IX ninth nerve     

Long latency transient evoked potentials to rapid random stimulation: responses to single and multiple concurrent stimuli

In EP testing, regular (periodic) stimulation at increasing rates produces progressive fusion of responses into steady-state wave forms. When stimuli are presented randomly in time this fusion does not occur. Medium and long latency transient EPs can be recorded to stimulation at interstimulus intervals which are much shorter than the EP wave form latencies. Individual transient EPs can be obtained to multiple independent stimuli presented concurrently when the stimuli are presented randomly to one another. The ability to obtain responses to rapid stimulation and to multiple independent stimuli provides opportunities for increased efficiency and complexity of testing, particularly involving long latency responses.