Influence of Succinylcholine on Middle Component Auditory Evoked Potentials

Abstract

Auditory evoked potentials in the middle component time domain (post-stimulus, 8 to 50 msec) were recorded in response to 1,000-Hz tone pips in a normal-hearing adult subject. Electromyographic (EMG) responses in response to ulnar nerve shocks were recorded from the ipsilateral hypothenar muscles. With the assistance of an anesthesiologist, data were collected during a normal resting state, a state of light sedation, and a state of complete skeletal muscle paralysis from succinylcholine administration. During the paralyzed state, there was abolition of the normal EMG responses seen in the resting and sedated states. The auditory evoked potentials, however, appeared unchanged during the paralyzed state, indicating that they were not of myogenic origin.