Somatosensory evoked potentials and cerebral metabolism were studied during cardiopulmonary bypass in 41 patients undergoing coronary bypass. Twenty-two patients received prostacyclin 50 ng/kg/min during cardiopulmonary bypass for platelet protection and 19 patients served as controls. Mean arterial blood pressure in the prostacyclin group was below 30 mm Hg during the first 30 minutes of bypass, but it remained above 50 mm Hg in the control group. Central conduction time, a measure of the electrical conduction time in the central nervous system, was prolonged in both groups during bypass up to 30 minutes of rewarming. The prolongation was greater in the control group early during bypass. At 20 minutes of cardiopulmonary bypass, central conduction time was increased by 81% (standard deviation 38) of the prebypass value in the control group and by 44% (standard deviation 17) in the prostacyclin group (p less than 0.001). Arteriovenous oxygen difference across the brain was greater in the prostacyclin group early during bypass. It was 36 ml/L (standard deviation 9) in the control group and 60 ml/L (standard deviation 18) in the prostacyclin group (p less than 0.001) at 10 minutes of bypass. There was no difference between the groups in regard to glucose and lactate. We conclude that cardiopulmonary bypass with hypothermia prolongs central conduction time. The hypotension induced by prostacyclin (50 ng/kg/min) did not further impair conduction in the central nervous system.