PERIODIC SYNCHRONOUS DISCHARGES AND VISUAL-EVOKED POTENTIALS IN CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB-DISEASE - PSD-TRIGGERED FLASH VEPS

We have developed the technique of flash visual evoked potentials (VEP s) triggered by periodic synchronous discharges (PSDs) to investigate the interaction between PSDs and VEPs in 3 patients with Creutzfeldt-J akob disease (CJD). This technique enables us to explore the cerebral pathophysiology underlying CJD. Unexpectedly, we found that PSDs and V EPs did not interact even when VEPs were evoked in close temporal prox imity to PSDs. Thus, it appears that PSDs are generated by a different neuronal mechanism from that involved in VEP generation.