Oculomotor Behavior in Human Albinos

  • P. Apkarian
  • H. Spekreijse
  • H. Collewijn
Conference paper
Part of the Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series book series (DOPS, volume 37)

Abstract

In a recent visual evoked potential (VEP) investigation (Apkarian et al., 1982), asymmetry in the monocular VEP, reflecting abnormal retino-geniculocortical projections, was detected in all albinos with measurable responses and with zero false positives in non-albino controls. In contrast to monocular VEP asymmetry, oculomotor disturbances such as nystagmus, an established albino concomitant, are neither a specific nor an obligate albino pathognomonic. Because not all albinos demonstrate oculomotor disturbances whereas non-albinos may, the link between aberrant projections and organization of the oculomotor control centers in these patients is at question. To address this problem we have examined spontaneous eye movements, simultaneously recorded during VEP measurements, and stimulus induced optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) in albinos with nystagmus, an albino without nystagmus and a non-albino with nystagmus. As an objective confirmation of the clinical diagnosis, all subjects tested in this investigation were screened for VEP albino asymmetry. Simultaneously recorded EOGs indicated curious disjunctive eye movements; under certain conditions, the amplitude of the movement of one eye was significantly greater than that of the other eye. With OKN recordings, examined with both full-field and half-field conditions as a function of direction of target motion, inverted OKN was observed for an albino observer as well as for the non-albino control. One albino who did not show inverted OKN under any conditions, did show OKN directional asymmetry during partial-field stimulation. The variable OKN response patterns observed in our subject sample indicate that OKN disturbances, particularly inverted OKN and OKN directional asymmetry, necessitate further investigation to determine the relationship between aberrant retinal fiber projections and oculomotor control.

Keywords

Target Motion Visual Evoke Potential Fast Phase Optokinetic Nystagmus Monocular Deprivation 
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Copyright information

© Dr. W. Junk 1983

Authors and Affiliations

  • P. Apkarian
    • 1
    • 2
  • H. Spekreijse
    • 1
    • 2
  • H. Collewijn
    • 1
    • 2
  1. 1.AmsterdamThe Netherlands
  2. 2.RotterdamThe Netherlands

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