Scalp topography of somatosensory evoked potentials following electrical stimulation of femoral nerve

Up to 29 channels of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were recorded in 10 normal volunteers following unilateral femoral nerve (FN) and tibial nerve (TN) electrical stimulation. Typical short latency FN SEPs consisted of 6 components, P15, N19, P26, N34, P44 and N56. P15 and N19 were widely distributed on the scalp. The first localized scalp component, P26, was strictly postrolandic and distributed on the contralateral parietal scalp close to midline with a prerolandic phase reversal, N26. This scalp distribution is clearly different from the first localized potential of tibial nerve SEPs. N34 and P44 were maximal at the vertex with a distribution that spread to the ipsilateral central and parietal scalp. The amplitude of P26 increased and latency shortened with increasing stimulus intensity and both values plateaued after the stimulus intensity reached motor threshold. No correlation was found between the peak latency of P26 and body height.