[The present and future of neurophysiological examination]

Abstract

This paper discusses the following routine examinations and new neurophysiological examinations that will likely be adopted in future. 1) EEG: a) The source derivation method and intracranial EEG recording method are useful for the detection of the exact focus in epileptic seizure. b) Polysomnography is applied to sleep disorders (ex. apnea syndrome). c) EEG topograph mapping and brain electric source analysis (BESA) are not only applied to neurological disorders, but also used for the detection of electrical equivalent dipole source localization. 2) Evoked potential (EP): ABR, SSEP and P-VEP by routine techniques are useful for the diagnosis of brain tumors and demyelinating diseases. Recently, event-related potential (ERP) has attracted attention in examining human recognition. 3) EMG and evoked EMG: a) MUP analysis with the template-matching method and single fiber EMG are topics of electromyography. b) M wave of evoked EMG has been used for the measurement of maximum nerve conduction velocity. Furthermore, the collision technique and microneurography can be applied to many kinds of nerves with different conduction velocities. c) The technique of magnetically stimulating the motor cortex was applied for the measurement of central motor conduction time (CMCT). 4) In the near future, neurophysiological examinations will include an EEG automatic diagnostic support system, neurophysiological network system, paperless digital EEG machine and non-invasive functional mapping with multichannel near infrared spectroscopic topography et al.