Proprioceptive evoked potentials in man: cerebral responses to changing weight loads on the hand

We studied cerebral evoked potentials on the scalp to the stimulation of the right hand from a change in weight of 400-480 g in ten subjects. Rise-time was 20g/10 ms, Inter Stimulus Interval 2s and stimulus duration was 100 ms. The cerebral activations were a double positive contralateral C3'/P70, P190, and a single negative frontal Fz/N70 component. We conclude that a brisk change of a hand held load elicits a significant evoked potential (EP) unlike the electrical somato-sensory EP (SEP). The stimulus is perceived as applied force. For this reason we call it a proprioceptive EP (PEP). Further studies of the PEP are needed to assess the influence of load manipulations and of muscle contraction and to explore the effect of attentional manipulation.