title: Pneumatic evoked potential. Sensory or auditive potential?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, evoked potentials (EPs) to a pneumatic, innocuous, and calibrated stimulation of the skin were recorded in 22 volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Air-puff stimuli were delivered through a home-made device (INSA de Lyon, Laboratoire Ampère, CHU de Saint-Étienne, France) synchronized with an EEG recording (Micromed(®)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A reproducible EP was recorded in 18 out of 22 subjects (82% of cases) with a mean latency of about 120-130ms, and maximal amplitude at Cz. This EP actually consisted of two components, an auditory and a somatosensory one. Indeed, it was significantly decreased in amplitude, but did not disappear, when the noise generated by the air-puff was masked. We also verified that a stimulation close to the skin but not perceived by the subject was not associated with any EP. Conduction velocity between hand and shoulder was calculated around 25m/s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary study demonstrates that pneumatic EPs can be recorded in normal volunteers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Neurophysiology and Pain Center, University Hospital, 42055 Saint-Étienne, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Condé
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Créac'h
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Convers
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peyron
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000388:Air; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Intégration multimodale; Methodology; Multimodal integration; Méthodologie; Pneumatic evoked potentials; Potentiels évoqués pneumatiques; Somatosensory system; Somesthésie