[The effect of cigarettes on somatosensory potentials].
OBJECTIVE
The physiological and pathological effects of cigarettes on the nervous system have been widely studied, but none of the investigations carried out has enabled us to determine the degree to which nicotine may affect the central pathways of somatosensorial evoked potentials in humans.


METHODS
Following parameters established internationally for investigation of the effects of nicotine on the nervous system, we find that the N18 wave obtained by stimulation of the median nerve before smoking completely disappears after smoking for 3 minutes and reappears 10 minutes after smoking has stopped.


CONCLUSIONS
Therefore, we conclude that the action of nicotine on these evoked potentials is mainly subcortical, and for this reason it is essential to investigate the toxicological history before carrying out any clinical or neurophysiological study, since this might affect the results obtained.
León
F E
FE
Departament of Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294, USA.
Suwazono
S
S
Arimura
K
K
Osame
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012907:Smoking; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000187:drug effects
D009538:Nicotine
Efectos del cigarrillo sobre los potenciales somatosensoriales.