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Abstract

The present article discusses aims, feasibility, and prerequisites of investigations using event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in Cognitive Neurology and clinical research. It sheds light on the issues of what can be expected from ERP measures and what needs to be taken into account for data interpretation. Specific attention is directed on cognitive ERPs which are not widely used in the clinical context - except for clinical basic research. Promising examples for using two ERP components associated with cognitive processes are discussed with respect to clinical utility. Even though collecting cognitive ERP data is more demanding than measuring early evoked potentials, they will certainly be used more in Cognitive Neurology in the future. Cognitive ERPs are well suited particularly for longitudinal studies, but also for specific diagnostic questions. Specifically, they provide tools to validate therapeutic effects, to objectively measure the clinical course, and to perform comparative studies of different therapeutic approaches. To meet these aims, a standardization of data collection and stimulus presentation as well as specific, hypothesis-driven questions are required.