Electrophysiology

Question 1

BAER
- what it is
- use

Answer 1

= brainstem auditory evoked responses
- measurement of electrical activity in the brain to click stimuli
- can be done conscious or under GA
- only definitive test for deafness in animals and the only way to investigate unilateral deafness
- commonly used to screen puppies for inherited deafness

Question 2

Electromyography
- what it is
- use

Answer 2

• recording of the spontaneous electrical activity in muscles (generally under GA)
• can help differentiate between muscle atrophy due to disuse (orthopaedic dz) and or peripheral nerve compromise (i.e. brachial plexus neoplasia or avulsion)

Question 3

Nerve conduction velocity (NCV)
- what it is / use

Answer 3

• by stimulating the nerves and measuring the resultant muscle contraction you can investigate the peripheral nerves to give evidence for axonal neuropathy or demyelination

Question 4

Repetitive nerve stimulation
- what it is / use

Answer 4

• repeated stimulation of a peripheral nerve and measurements of resultant muscle contraction can give an indication of neuromuscular junction pathology such as myasthenia gravis