The Potentials Recorded Around the Spinal Cord: Different Sides of the Same Dice

Abstract

Introduction. Clinical Neurophysiology is strongly based on the interpretation of electric potential fields. Such interpretations may sometimes create different conceptual objects that over time end up as different sides of the same phenomenon. An instructive example is represented by the potential fields recorded around the spinal cord viewed from a historical perspective. Method. A brief historical account is given of the potentials recorded around the spinal cord. Results. Dorsal root reflex, dorsal root potential, cord dorsum potential and primary afferent depolarization are described. Conclusion. all these potentials are mainly different aspects of the same generator the segmental spinal cord activities secondary to the recordings by different leads.