Definition

1. Noun:
   • A specific electrical signal in the brain or nervous system: An "evoked potential" is a measurable electrical response generated by the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) when it is stimulated by a specific, external event, such as a sound, light, or touch.

Usage

• This term is used almost exclusively in medical, neurological, and scientific contexts to describe and diagnose the function of sensory pathways and the brain's processing of stimuli.
• It is typically measured using specialized equipment like an electroencephalogram (EEG) or electrodes placed on the scalp or skin.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor ordered a test to check the auditory evoked potential, which measures the brain's response to sounds.
  • Abnormal visual evoked potentials can indicate problems with the optic nerve.

Advanced Usage

• "to record an evoked potential": to capture and measure this specific neural response.
  • Researchers recorded the somatosensory evoked potential by applying a gentle electrical pulse to the patient's wrist.
• "evoked potential study/ testing": a diagnostic procedure involving these measurements.
  • The evoked potential study helped localize the site of the neurological lesion.

Variants and Related Words

• Evoked Response: Often used synonymously with "evoked potential."
• Sensory Evoked Potential: A more specific term for responses from sensory stimuli (e.g., visual, auditory).
• Event-Related Potential (ERP): A related term often used in cognitive neuroscience for brain responses linked to specific sensory, cognitive, or motor events.

Synonyms

• Cortical evoked response
• Sensory evoked response

Related Phrases

• Brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP): A test measuring the brainstem's response to sounds.
• Visual evoked potential (VEP): A test measuring the brain's response to visual patterns, like a flashing checkerboard.
• Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP): A test measuring the response to stimuli applied to the skin or nerves.

Noun

1. the electrical response of the central nervous system produced by an external stimulus
   • he measured evoked potentials with an electroencephalogram