1Department of Physiology, Shadan Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Andhrapradesh, India
2Department of Emergency Medicine, Care Hospital, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
3Department of Physiology, Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
*Corresponding author mail: yasmeen78692@yahoo.com
Online published on 15 January, 2014.
Neural plasticity includes a wide range of adaptive changes due to loss or absence of a particular sense. Cortical mapping or reorganization is evolutionary conserved mechanism which involves either an unmasking of previously silent connections and/or sprouting of new neural elements.
To compare the Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) wave form in normal and visually challenged individuals.
20 visually challenged males in the age group of 21 -31 yrs were included in the study along with 20 age & sex matched individuals. Subjects were screened for general physical health to rule out any medical disorder, tactile sensibility i.e., sensation of light touch, pressure, tactile localization & discrimination to rule out any delay in the peripheral conduction disorder. Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded on Nicolet Viking select neuro diagnostic system version 10.0.The placement of electrodes & recording of potentials were done based on methodology in chiappa. Data was subjected to various statistical analyses using SPSS version 17.0 software. N20 & P25 latencies were shorter and amplitudes were larger in visually challenged individuals compared to age & sex matched individuals.
In visually challenged individuals, decrease in latencies indicate greatly improved of information in the nervous system & increase in amplitudes indicate the extent and synchronization of neural network involved in processing of vision.
Neural plasticity, Somatosensory evoked potentials, Cortical mapping, Visually challenged
