Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the role of ssomatosensory evoked potential (SEP) in evaluating and predicting the lower limb motor function of patients with acute cerebral infarction.Methods19 patients (13 male, 6 female) with acute cerebral infarction diagnosed according to the standard of Chinese Classifications of the Cerebral Vascular Disease were chosen as the case group and 18 patients (11 male, 7 female) with non-nerve system injury were taken as the control group. All patients of two groups were received SEP test within 7 days after onset and latency and amplitude values of SEP of two groups were compared. To the case group, SEP was tested again at 30th day after admission, the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) was also carried out at same times of two SEP tests, and the correlation of SEP and FMA scores was analyzed.ResultsThe difference of latency and amplitude value of SEP test between the case group and control group was significantly (P<0.01). The latency value of SEP in lower limb was correlated with FMA scores (P<0.01). But the amplitude value was no difference between the onset and 30th day after admission in the case group.ConclusionSEP is sensitive in the acute stage of stroke. SEP has significant value for predicting the prognosis of patients with acute cerebral infarction and correlates with the clinical FMA scores. The value of amplitude is not sensitive.

Key words: cerebral infarction, somatosensory evoked potential (SEP), motor function, prognosis