Somatosensory-evoked potentials in athletes.

We measured somatosensory-evoked potentials in athletes to determine whether there were differences in somatosensory pathways related to sports performance or training. Seven sedentary subjects, 10 endurance runners, and seven elite gymnasts of similar height and weight were investigated. Peak latencies and amplitudes were measured of P9, P11, P13/14, N20, P25, and N30 waves, following electrical stimulation of the median nerve at the wrist. Central and peripheral conduction speeds of the sensory pathway were calculated. The subjects also completed a simple reaction test to a visual stimulus. There were no significant differences between the groups in any of the attributes we measured. The was a positive correlation between years of training undergone and the amplitude of N20, a negative correlation between the amplitudes of P11 and P13/14 and the number of hours of training undertaken per week, and a positive correlation between the amplitude of N30 and the simple visual reaction time. We conclude that the gymnasts, runners and sedentary subjects had no differences in somatosensory pathways, as measured using standard clinical procedures for evaluating somatosensory-evoked potentials.