Table 3. Physiological effects on evoked potentials

Parameters Effect
Blood flow At 20 mL/min/100 g cerebral blood flow cortical SSEPs decreaseAt 15 mL/min/100 g regional cerebral blood flow cortical SSEPs are totally lost
Temperature Cortical SSEPs are very sensitive to changes in body temperatureIncreasing in latency of MEPs at 32°CCold irrigation of neuronal tissues alters EPs
Blood rheology Amplitude of SSEPs increase in mild anemia. At hematocrit of 10%–15% latency of EPs increase
Intracranial pressure Raised intracranial pressure causes increasing in latency and decreasing in amplitude of EPs
Ventilation Hypoxia alters EPs. Altered SSEPs at PCO2 <20 mmHg
s-glucose, Na+, K+ Should keep normal values to ensure normal neuronal function
SSEP: somatosensory evoked potential; MEP: motor-evoked potential; EP: evoked potential.