Evoked Potential Tests

Evoked responses indicate the brain's response to specific stimuli. Three kinds of evoked potential procedures are used by neurologists and specialists:

  • Visual evoked potentials test the visual pathways between the retina (eye) and the brain by presenting alternating checkerboard patterns
  • Auditory evoked potentials test the auditory pathways between the ear and the brain by presenting auditory clicks
  • Somatosensory evoked potentials test the pathways between the peripheral nerves through the spine to the brain by stimulating nerves with small electrical pulses
For example, a physician can test an infant's hearing by checking for a brain response after a noise. Evoked responses may reveal slight damage to the optic nerve (the nerve to the eyes) in a person with multiple sclerosis.

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