Evaluating Neurological Outcomes in Neonates Through SSEP: A Review of Current Evidence

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) are increasingly recognized as valuable tools for assessing neurological function, maturation, and prognostic outcomes in neonatal populations. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy and practicality of SSEPs in preterm infants (less than 32 weeks of gestation) and full-term infants up to 6 months of age. Findings indicate that SSEPs provide reliable biomarkers for neural development and predictive indicators for conditions such as cerebral palsy (CP). Posterior tibial SSEP recordings demonstrated a positive predictive value of 83% for CP, outperforming cerebral ultrasound and visual evoked potentials (VEPs). SSEPs also show clinical relevance in intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM), particularly during procedures involving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Despite promising results, limitations persist, including small sample sizes, lack of longitudinal follow-up, and variability in recording protocols. Factors such as anesthesia response, physiological state, and gestational age contribute to inconsistencies. Future research should prioritize protocol standardization and multimodal integration with brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs), motor evoked potentials (MEPs), and electroencephalography (EEG). Longitudinal studies are essential to assess the enduring impact of early SSEP findings on neurodevelopmental trajectories. Establishing SSEPs as a routine diagnostic tool may enhance early intervention strategies and improve outcomes for at-risk neonatal populations.