The late positive component of the evoked cortical potential: application to neurotoxicity testing.

There is an urgent need for efficient, non-invasive measures of neurotoxic insult in humans. The late positive component (LPC) of the event-related cortical potential may be such a measure. The latency and amplitude of the LPC have been related to both memory and response speed, two aspects of behavior which are indicators of neurological status. The LPC has been found to be altered in cases of known neurophysiological insult, including Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, surgical and traumatic damage, hyperkinesis, chronic alcoholism, mental retardation, and in schizophrenia. Further development of the LPC as a possible indicator of both the cognitive impairment due to neurotoxic substances as well as the site of neurological damage is warranted.