[Somatosensory evoked potential in children with evoked spikes by tapping of the feet or hands on electroencephalogram].
OBJECTIVE
To study the characteristics of Somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) cortical components in children with evoked spikes (ES) on EEG.


METHODS
The children were aged 7-12 years, had normal neurological examination and neuropsychomotor development, and did not present signs/symptoms of CNS lesions. Data were compared within a group of 20 "normal" children.


RESULTS
The amplitude of the cortical components N75 and P98, obtained by posterior tibial nerve stimulation, was higher in ES groups as compared with the normal group.


CONCLUSIONS
High amplitude SEP (N75 and P98) has higher values in the group of children with ES than in the normal group. The exact mechanism involved in the genesis of ES and high amplitude SEP is not clear yet. A possible mechanism would be focal cortical hyperexcitability related to functional activity. No difference was observed in SEP components in children with ES considering occurrence or not of epilepsy. Therefore, SEP does not bring elements to distinguish between the groups suffering or not epilepsy.
Faculdade de Medicina Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas, Campinas SP, Brasil. tedrusbento@uol.com.br
Gloria M A S
GM
Tedrus
Lineu Corrêa
LC
Fonseca
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005528:Foot / Q000294:innervation; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation; D006801:Humans; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000502:physiology