title: Evoked potentials in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
abstract: Eighteen patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy were studied with evoked potentials to assess for evidence of central nervous system demyelination. Both visual and brain-stem auditory evoked responses were obtained, and the results were compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An evoked potential was abnormal in nine of 18 patients, five of whom had central nervous system evidence of demyelination by MRI. Evoked potentials identified four patients with probable anterior optic pathway involvement that was not demonstrable by MRI. These findings continue to support that chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is associated with a central demyelinating disorder and more importantly emphasize the possibility of a common pathogenic mechanism in central and peripheral nerve demyelination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ohio State University Hospitals, Columbus.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pakalnis
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Barohn
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Chakeres
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mendell
mesh_terms: D001933:Brain Stem / Q000503:physiopathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011930:Reaction Time