Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 1992
Evoked potentials from direct cerebellar stimulation for monitoring of the rodent spinal cord.
Although the assessment of spinal cord function by electrophysiological techniques has become important in both clinical and research environments, current monitoring methods do not completely evaluate all tracts in the spinal cord. Somatosensory and motor evoked potentials primarily reflect dorsal column and pyramidal tract integrity, respectively, but do not directly assess the status of the ventral funiculus. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the use of evoked potentials, elicited by direct cerebellar stimulation, in monitoring the ventral component of the rodent spinal cord. ⋯ Unilateral cerebellar stimulation resulted in bilateral sciatic nerve and gastrocnemius muscle responses; there were no significant differences (p greater than 0.05) in the thresholds, amplitudes, or latencies of these responses elicited by right- versus left-sided stimulation. Recordings performed following creation of selective lesions of the cervical cord indicated that the thoracic response was carried primarily in the ventral funiculus while the sciatic and gastrocnemius responses were mediated through the dorsal half of the spinal cord. It is concluded that the posterior fossa evoked potential has research value as a method of monitoring pathways within the ventral spinal cord of the rat, and should be useful in the study of spinal cord injury.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 1992
Biography Historical ArticlePercivall Pott: an 18th century neurosurgeon.
This paper examines neurosurgery in the 18th century and suggests that the origins of the specialty can be recognized at the time when surgeons began to use the neurological status of the patient as a guide for surgical intervention. Percivall Pott (1714-1788) was one of the leading surgeons in London in the 18th century. ⋯ The recognition and significance of the lucid interval was described and understood as a neurosurgical sign in the 18th century. Because of Pott's pre-eminence in the surgery of his time through his writings and lectures, he should be considered one of the founders of neurosurgery as a separate surgical discipline.