Interactions of somatosensory evoked potentials: simultaneous stimulation of two nerves.

To analyse the mechanism by which sensory inputs are integrated, interactions of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) in response to simultaneous stimulation of two nerves were examined in 12 healthy subjects. Right, left and bilateral median nerves were stimulated in random order so that a precise comparison could be made among the SEPs. The arithmetical sum of the independent right and left median nerve SEPs was almost equal within 40 msec of stimulus onset to that evoked by the simultaneous stimulation of bilateral median nerves. However, a difference emerged after 40 msec. The greatest difference was recorded after 100 msec. Sensory information from right and left median nerves may interact in the late phase of sensory processing. Left median, left ulnar, and both nerves together were stimulated. The sum of the SEPs of left median and ulnar nerves was not equal to that evoked by the simultaneous stimulation of the two nerves even at early latencies. Differences between them were first recorded at 14-18 msec and became greater after 30-40 msec. It is suggested that the neural interactions between impulses in the median and ulnar nerves begin below the thalamic level.