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Pattern electroretinogram as a function of spatial frequency after retrobulbar optic neuritis

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Abstract

Steady-state (8-Hz) pattern electroretinograms in response to counterphased sinusoidal gratings of variable spatial frequency (0.6–4.8 c/deg) were recorded in 17 patients who had had retrobulbar optic neuritis in one or both eyes (23 eyes with a clinical history of optic neuritis) and in 21 age-matched normal subjects. Amplitude and phase of the Fourier-analyzed pattern electroretinogram second harmonic were measured. The mean pattern electroretinogram amplitude of patients was significantly reduced compared with that of controls. Amplitude reductions were more marked at intermediate (1–1.4 c/deg) than at lower or higher spatial frequencies. Therefore, the average amplitude versus spatial frequency response function differed significantly in patients compared with controls, displaying a lowpass instead of a band-pass shape. No significant differences in the mean pattern electroretinogram phase were observed between groups at any spatial frequency. These results indicate spatial frequency-dependent abnormalities in the pattern electroretinogram amplitude after optic neuritis, suggesting a specific loss of retinal neurons sensitive to stimuli of intermediate spatial frequencies.

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Abbreviations

ANOVA:

analysis of variance

SD:

standard deviation

SEM:

standard error of the mean

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eye Clinic, Catholic University, Rome, Italy

    Benedetto Falsini, Antonio Bardocci, Silvano Cermola & Giovanni Porrello

  2. Institute of Neurophysiology, CNR, Pisa, Italy

    Vittorio Porciatti

Authors
  1. Benedetto Falsini
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  2. Antonio Bardocci
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  3. Silvano Cermola
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  4. Vittorio Porciatti
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  5. Giovanni Porrello
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Falsini, B., Bardocci, A., Cermola, S. et al. Pattern electroretinogram as a function of spatial frequency after retrobulbar optic neuritis. Doc Ophthalmol 79, 325–336 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00160947

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