Proprioceptive evoked potentials in man: cerebral responses to changing weight loads on the hand

We studied cerebral evoked potentials on the scalp to the stimulation of th e right hand from a change in weight of 400-480 g in ten subjects. Rise-tim e was 20g/10 ms, Inter Stimulus Interval 2s and stimulus duration was 100 m s. The cerebral activations were a double positive contralateral C3'/P70, P 190, and a single negative frontal Fz/N70 component. We conclude that a bri sk change of a hand held load elicits a significant evoked potential (EP) u nlike the electrical somatosensory EP (SEP). The stimulus is perceived as a pplied force. For this reason we call it a proprioceptive EP (PEP). Further studies of the PEP are needed to assess the influence of load manipulation s and of muscle contraction and to explore the effect of attentional manipu lation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.