Identification and characterization of somatosensory off responses

Event-related potentials (ERPs) have been recorded in response to the offset of sensory stimulation in both the auditory and visual modalities. The present experiment employed vibratory stimulation to characterize somatosensory ERPs in response to different duration stimuli. In two separate experiments, we recorded attended and unattended somatosensory ERPs to 70 Hz, sine wave stimuli using the following durations: 20 ms, 50 ms, 70 ms, 150 ms, 170 ms, 250 ms and 1000 ms. An oscillating coil delivered stimuli through a ‘T-bar’ to digits 2 and 3 of the right hand. The amplitude and latency measurements of P50, P100 and a later negative component (No1) were analyzed using MANOVA. There was no significant difference in the latency values of the P50 and P100, but as the duration increased, there was a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the latency of No1. No1 appeared 130 ms ± 9 ms following the offset of the stimulus. Amplitude values of the P50 and P100 components decreased as the stimulus duration increased and this effect became significant (P < 0.05) as the duration difference increased. Stimuli of 150 ms or greater evoked a negative baseline shift that persisted for the duration of the stimulus and area measurements in 7 out of the 10 subjects showed a significant increase in amplitude when the stimulus was attended. An intracranial case study supported these findings. The characteristics of the No1 component indicate it is a somatosensory off response, and it, in conjunction with the P50 and sustained potential, may reflect activity of a neural system that is responsive to changes in the tactile environment.