Monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials in cerebral ischemia: an experimental model

We have studied Mongolian gerbils using somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) recordings before, during and after an ischemic event. In six experimental animals, cerebral ischemia was reproduced by clamping both carotid arteries for ten minutes. Two recordings were made during this period at 4' and 8'. An additional four recordings were made after removal of the clamp at 4', 8', 12' and 20'. Four animals were utilized as a control group, and were subjected to the identical experimental protocol, with the exclusion of carotid artery clamping. During ischemia we observed an evident alteration of the SEP recordings in the experimental animals, and a more or less rapid recovery during the post-ischemic period. This experimental model may be useful for the monitoring and the evaluation of the evolution of cerebro-vascular damage during the post-ischemic period.