Proprioceptive evoked potentials in man: cerebral responses to changing weight loads on the hand

We studied cerebral evoked potentials on the scalp to the stimulation of the right hand from a change in weight of 400-480 g in ten subjects. Rise-time was 20g/10 ms, Inter Stimulus Interval 2s and stimulus duration was 100 ms. The cerebral activations were a double positive contralateral C3'/P70, P190, and a single negative frontal Fz/N70 component. We conclude that a brisk change of a hand held load elicits a significant evoked potential (EP) unlike the electrical somato-sensory EP (SEP). The stimulus is perceived as applied force. For this reason we call it a proprioceptive EP (PEP). Further studies of the PEP are needed to assess the influence of load manipulations and of muscle contraction and to explore the effect of attentional manipulation. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.