Hypokalemia shortens relative refractory period of peripheral sensory nerves in man

Absolute and relative refractory periods and the sensory conduction velocity of the median and ulnar nerves were determined in six patients suffering from hypokalemia of various origins. Nerve impulse conduction and the absolute refractory period remained normal, but the relative refractory period was shortened to 1.7 to 2.6 ms at serum K+ levels from 1.6 to 2.9 mval/l. As compared with normal values this decrease was statistically significant.

Early Auditory Evoked Potentials (EAEP) in Neurosurgery — A New Method for Diagnosis and Localization of Posterior Fossa Tumors in Childhood

Auditory stimuli of suprathreshold intensity (above 60 dBHL) evoke about 15 waves: an early series (EAEP) during the initial 10 milliseconds (ms), a middle latency sequence (8 to 50 ms) and the longer latency cortical potentials (50 – 300 ms). PICTON et al. (1974) made a survey of all three potential groups. Only the EAEP (waves I to IV) are generated in the infratentorial part of the brain and reflect progressive activation of the auditory tracts and nuclei (Fig. 1): Wave I is assumed to originate at the distal part of the acoustic nerve, wave II in the medulla, wave III in the caudal and wave IV in the rostral pons and wave V in the midbrain (STARR and ACHOR, 1975; STOCKARD and ROSSITER, …

The location by early auditory evoked potentials (EAEP) of acoustic nerve and brainstem demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Tone pips of suprathreshold intensities elicit an acoustic nerve response (I) and six low amplitude brainstem potentials (II-VII) during the initial 10 ms. Seven waves were studied in 40 control subjects and 5 waves (I-V) in 47 patients with MS. The results suggest involvement of the auditory pathway of 24 of 27 patients in the clinically "definite", of 5 of 9 cases in the "probable" and in none of 5 patients in the "possible" MS groups. EAEPs were normal in 6 cases with a spinal form with one exception where changes of potential were indicative of a midbrain lesion. Dysfunction within the acoustic pathway was observed at the level of the acoustic nerve and in the medulla oblongata, pons an…

Abstracts of scientific papers second international symposium on central nervous system monitoring

Early auditory evoked potentials (EAEP) in vertebral basilar insufficiency

Stimulation with a short tone pip elicits an acoustic nerve compound action potential (I) and different waves (II--VII) in the inital 10 ms. Seven waves have been studied in 40 control subjects and five waves in 12 patients with vertebral-basilar insufficiency. Abnormalities of the different waves were observed at levels such as cochlea and/or acoustic nerve, medulla, caudal pons, rostral pons, and midbrain. The recording of early auditory evoked potentials (EAEP) is a noninvasive method of confirming impairment of the auditory pathway caused by a reduced vascular supply of vertebral and basilar arteries.