Spinal-evoked potentials and spinal conduction velocity of the cat: reference values.

Spinal conduction velocities of the fastest afferent fibers of the spinal cord were calculated from the onset latencies of averaged evoked responses elicited by stimulation of the tibial nerve sensory afferent fibers and were recorded at various sites on the spinal cord. Locations for stimulation and recording electrodes were identified. Waveforms, mean amplitudes, and duration of the evoked spinal potentials were described. The mean conduction velocity of the spinal cord afferents at T12-T13 was 74.25 m/s with a SD of +/- 9.81 m/s. The mean conduction velocity of the spinal cord afferents, determined at the cisterna magna, was 80.66 m/s with a SD of +/- 11.50 m/s. This is a slight increase over the spinal conduction velocity at T12-T13 (P = 0.05).