title: Motor and somatosensory evoked potentials in asymptomatic spondylotic cord compression.
abstract: To assess whether electrophysiological tests are of use in differentiating between patients with asymptomatic cervical stenosis and patients with clinical evidence of myelopathy, we studied motor evoked potentials (MEPs) to magnetic brain stimulation and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in patients with asymptomatic cervical cord compression and compared the results to healthy age-matched controls. The MEPs were normal in 23 of 25 patients and SEPs in 22 of 23 patients. Thus, MEPs and SEPs are normal in most cases of asymptomatic cervical stenosis. As previous studies have shown MEPs, and to a lesser extent SEPs, to be sensitive in the detection of spondylotic myelopathy, our data indicate that MEP and SEP may be clinically useful for differentiating patients with cervical stenosis who have myelopathy from those who have not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Leyenburg Hospital, The Hague, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Tavy
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Franssen
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Keunen
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Wattendorff
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hekster
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Van Huffelen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008280:Magnetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology