[Evoked potentials. Indications and diagnostic significance].

Visual, auditory and somatosensory evoked potentials are useful in the detection and localization of demyelinating lesions, which mainly cause a slowing of conduction and therefore a latency increase in the evoked potential. Primarily amplitude reductions or loss of the response are seen in partial or complete impulse conduction blocks due to a tumor e.g. Acoustic nerve tumors can be detected by AEP, orbit tumors or processes of the chiasm by VEP and spinal cord tumors by SEP. The use of evoked potentials for the evaluation of ophthalmologic disorders, for audiometry in children and for monitoring head-injured patients with coma have become a valuable aid to the physician too.