The length of an evoked potential study depends on which pathways are being tested and how many. A single visual study is shorter than one combining visual, auditory and somatosensory testing, and electrode setup adds time before recording begins.
The length of an evoked potential study depends on which pathways are being tested and how many. A single visual study is shorter than one combining visual, auditory and somatosensory testing, and electrode setup adds time before recording begins.
There are three main types and they are not always all done. Visual evoked potentials use a patterned screen. Auditory studies use clicks through headphones. Somatosensory studies use small electrical pulses at the wrist or ankle and record from the scalp. Testing one pathway takes considerably less time than testing all three, and which are requested depends on what the neurologist is trying to establish.
As with EEG, electrodes must be placed accurately on the scalp and that takes time before any recording begins. Evoked potential studies also depend on averaging many repetitions of the same stimulus, because a single response is too small to distinguish from background activity. That averaging is inherent to how the study works and is why the recording phase is not instant.
Wash your hair beforehand and use no conditioner or styling product, since residue delays setup. Bring glasses if you need them for the visual test and mention any hearing aid before the auditory one. There is no sedation, so you can drive yourself home. Some people find the visual study tiring on the eyes, and a mild headache afterwards is not unusual.
Clinical Neurology Specialists has been physician-owned since 1998, when Leo Germin, M.D., FAANEM founded it. Five board-certified neurologists and four advanced practice providers see patients at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices, each with its own AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratory.
Clinical Neurology Specialists is an adult outpatient neurology practice for patients 18 and older. The practice performs no surgery and operates no imaging suite, infusion suite or interventional pain programme, and provides no emergency or inpatient care.
Physician-reviewed. Reviewed by the physicians of Clinical Neurology Specialists — board-certified neurologists, AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratories, physician-owned since 1998. Reviewed 1 August 2026. This article is general education for adults 18 and older and is not a substitute for a consultation.
Sources and further reading: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; American Academy of Neurology; MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
Adults 18 and older, at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices. Call 702-804-1212 or request an appointment online.