The effect of temporal dispersion on compound action potential area in human peripheral nerve

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Abstract
In 32 ulnar nerves of healthy volunteers, the mean area of the compound muscle action potential recorded over abductor digiti minimi was reduced by 7.4% when comparing above-elbow with wrist stimulation and by 1.9% when comparing above-elbow with below-elbow stimulation. In 20 of these nerves, the mean area of the compound nerve action potential (CNAP) recorded over the fifth digit was reduced by 36% when comparing above-elbow with wrist stimulation. Area reduction of the compound action potential, especially of the CNAP, appears to be a characteristic effect of temporal dispersion in peripheral nerve when utilizing the bipolar recording technique routinely employed in clinical neurophysiology. A thorough understanding of the effects caused by temporal dispersion and of their quantitative limits in normal peripheral nerve is important for the proper interpretation of nerve conduction studies.