[Use of a method of recording somatosensory evoked potentials to evaluate the intensity of painful stimulation and the effectiveness of analgesic stimulation].

The authors propose a modified variant of experimental pain stimulation with the attendant registration of somatosensory evoked potentials (EPs) induced by electrocutaneous stimulation via electrodes placed on the ulnar surface of the lower arm. The amplitude of EPs taken from the cranial surface directly correlates with the subjective sensation of pain. These EPs represent superficial positive vibrations with the peak latent period of 240 +/- 23 msec, which are most expressed in leads with saggital electrodes. Transcutaneous antinociceptive stimulation diminishes the amplitude of the recorded EPs in accordance with the subjective analgesic effect. The suggested model may be used for objective evaluation of the pain effect and for selecting the optimum parameters of antinociceptive stimulation.