Somatosensory evoked potentials as indicators of altered cerebral excitability during psychotropic drug treatment.

We observed an increase in the amplitude of the early cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) in five patients who developed myoclonus and/or generalized seizures during treatment with antidepressants. The increases correlated closely with the course of the clinical disturbances. In every case the SSEPs returned to normal values after the discontinuation of the psychotropic drugs. We suggest that SSEPs might help to identify and monitor patients who are at an increased risk of potentially hazardous side effects during psychopharmacological treatment.