[Somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) to posterior tibial nerve stimulation in children with cerebral palsy].

We investigated the possible usefulness of SEP to the posterior tibial nerve in children with cerebral palsy. Sixty-four children with cerebral palsy, aged between 6 months to 20 years, were studied. Twelve patients had hemiplegia (H), 24 spastic diplegia who were able to walk (SDW), 17 spastic diplegia who were impossible to walk (SDNW) and 11 spastic quadriplegia (SQ), respectively. We also studied with 40 normal controls. Informed consent was obtained from subjects and parents. A significant difference was found in an appearance rate of P37 between the control and cerebral palsy groups. Absent and shortening of P37 were recognized in 10 among 18 recordings in the paralytic side of patients with hemiplegia. The central conduction time was shortened gradually with age in the control group. There was difference in the central conduction velocity between SDW, SDNW or SQ. These results suggested that P37 was the first cortical response, and that it was useful for the diagnosis of cause of paralysis.