The final response is plotted on a graph and interpreted by a physician who looks for particular waveforms and the time it takes them to occur. Evoked potentials are helpful in evaluating a number of different neurological problems, including spinal cord injuries, acoustic neuroma and optic neuritis. Each type of EP looks at a different neurological pathway. The most common types are listed below. The BAEP assists in evaluating the auditory nerve pathways from the ears through the brainstem.
Earphones deliver a series of clicks or tones to each ear separately.
The patient is usually asked to stare at a pattern on a video screen while remaining fully alert. Each eye is tested separately . Somatosensory SSEP' s assess pathways from nerves in the arms or legs, through the spinal cord, to the brainstem or cerebral cortex. A small electrical current is applied to the skin overlying nerves on the arms or legs. The current creates a tingling sensation but is not painful.