Auditory Evoked Potential (AEP) testing is used to determine if specific parts of the vestibular system are functioning properly. Evoked potentials, sometimes called evoked responses, record the amount of time the nerves take to respond to electrical and sound stimulations. Stimuli delivered to the brain through each of these senses evoke minute electrical signals. These signals travel along the nerves and through the spinal cord to specific regions of the brain and are picked up by electrodes, amplified, and recorded on a computer. It can also be used to rule out the presence of disease
or damage to the central nervous system.
The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and the brain. There are two sets of circuitry that travel through the spine to the brain. The first set sends signals to the brain, the second sends signals from the brain. When certain types of symptoms present themselves, an evoked potential study can be performed to measure the health of this circuitry, or the VIIIth nerve pathway.
An evoked potential will allow you to see if there has been a "block" along the pathways that lead to the brain. Common "blocks" include tumors, infections, and degeneration to the nerve itself. These tests can be also useful in the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Acoustic Neuroma, Meniere's Disease, Vestibular Neuritis, and Utricular Dysfunctions. For a more detailed explanation of each EP test, click on the tests below.
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At NDBC we use Bio-Logic's
Navigator Pro EP System
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