During continuous stimulation and recording of SEPs and 600Hz oscillations the subjects were instructed to close their eyes and relax throughout the recording session. On the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side. The stimulation consisted of a combination of rotating and thrusting movements. A tonifying method was used. The registration of SEPs is a neurophysiologic method which is used increasingly in comatose patients and in intraoperative monitoring.
Normal values are necessary to interpret clinical data.
The generation of SEPs has been explored extensively. Although acupuncture has a long history, the mechanisms underlying its effects are still unclear in detail. The effects of acupuncture on conventional SEPs are controversial 13. Since the conventional SEP is mediated mainly by fast conducting sensory nerve fibers, the methodology, especially for recording short-latency SEP, may be inadequate for studying acupuncture mechanisms13. In the case of the long-latency cortical SEPs, there is too little data available to judge the effects of acupuncture 13.