Multimodal evoked potentials and the ovarian cycle in young ovulating women

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria Vol. 58; no. 2B; pp. 418 - 423
• Main Authors: Resende, L A, Silva, M D, Impemba, F, Achôa, N B, Schelp, A O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO 01.06.2000; Academia Brasileira de Neurologia (ABNEURO)
• Subjects: Adult; Brain - physiology; evoked potentials; Evoked Potentials - physiology; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem - physiology; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory - physiology; Evoked Potentials, Visual - physiology; Female; Humans; Menstrual Cycle - physiology; multimodal; NEUROSCIENCES; ovarian cycle; Ovulation - physiology; Pregnancy; PSYCHIATRY; ovarian cycle; potenciais evocados; multimodal; multimodais; ciclo menstrual; evoked potentials
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227; 0004-282X; 1678-4227
• DOI: 10.1590/s0004-282x2000000300004

There is controversy over how hormonal conditions influence cerebral physiology. We studied pattern-shift visual evoked potentials (PS-VEP), brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEV) in 20 female volunteers at different phases of the menstrual cycle (estrogen phase, ovulatory day and progesterone phase). Statistical analysis showed decreased latencies for P100 (PS-VEP), N19 and P22 (SSEV) waves in the progesterone phase compared with the estrogen phase. There was no significant difference between the estrogen and the ovulation day values. Comparing the three above stages, there were no significant differences in the brainstem auditory evoked potentials. The reduction of the latencies of the potentials generated in multisynaptic circuits provides the first consistent neurophysiological basis for a tentative comprehension of human pre-menstrual syndrome.