Flash and pattern presentation and pattern-reversal evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis.

The visual evoked potential (VEP) results for 404 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are presented. In 171 patients pattern reversal with light-emitting diode (PR (LED] VEPs and in 85 patients pattern reversal with TV (PR(TV] VEPs also were investigated. The pathologic process of MS affects the amplitude and latency of all components and the form and symmetry of responses. A complex evaluation of VEP is proposed instead of measurement of only one component. A combined flash and pattern presentation VEP evaluation may be as effective as PREPs in the detection of subclinical lesions. PR(LED) VEP seems to be more sensitive to the degree of visual disturbance and to the clinical probability of MS than the PR(TV) VEP. A statistical analysis disclosed correlation of VEP amplitude and latency data with the visual impairment, one with the duration and multiplicity (generalization) of the disease. Combination of different methods increases the discriminative power of the VEP investigation.