Automated single-trial assessment of laser-evoked potentials as an objective functional diagnostic tool for the nociceptive system

► This study demonstrates the clinical usefulness of an automated analysis of ERPs to assess nociceptive pathways. ► For clinical research, the automated approach provides an unbiased solution to characterize ERPs, even when difficult to identify by visual inspection. ► For evidence-based medicine, the automated approach overcomes the important problem related to the subjectivity of a visual interpretation of ERPs.