Summary
Scalp potential fields in human subjects were evoked by checkerboard reversals to the upper and lower hermiretinae, using 1.6 and 3.2 reversals/s. Averaged fields were sampled along a saggital midline row of electrodes (field profiles) in 20 subjects, and from a 47 electrode array (field maps) in five subjects. In five subjects, profile peaks and troughs between 84 and 128 ms latency resided within the recorded electrode row surrounded by lesser potential values, and thus met the evaluation criteria. Response latency defined as maximal voltage difference between two electrodes within the profiles was significantly shorter (medians 12 and 11 ms, respectively) for upper than for lower hemiretina stimuli at both frequencies. There was a significant difference between latencies to 3.2 and 1.6 stimuli/s in the upper but not in the lower hemiretina system, suggesting different system behavior of the two retinal halves. Pertinent anatomical, electrophysiological, and behavioral data are reviewed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bishop, P.O., Kozak, W., Vakkur, G.J.: Some quantitative aspects of the cat's eye: Axis and plane of reference, visual field co-ordinates and optics. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 163, 466–502 (1962)
Eason, R.G., White, C.T., Oden, D.: Averaged occipital responses to stimulation of sites in the upper and lower halves of the retina. Percept. Psychophys. 2, 423–425 (1967)
Freeman, R.B.: Figurai after-effects: displacement or contrast. Am. J. Psychol. 77, 607–613 (1964)
Hall, G. S., Kries, J. von: Über die Abhängigkeit der Reaktionszeit vom Ort des Reizes. Arch. Anat. Physiol. (Leipzig) Suppl. 1–10 (1879)
Halliday, A.M., Michael, W.F.: Changes in pattern-evoked potentials in man associated with the vertical and horizontal meridians of the visual field. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 208, 499–513 (1970)
Jeffreys, D.A., Axford, J.G.: Source locations of pattern-specific components of human visual evoked potentials. II. Component of extrastriate cortical origin. Exp. Brain Res. 16, 22–40 (1972)
Landau, D., Dawson, W.W.: The histology of retinas from the pinnipedia. Vision Res. 10, 691–702 (1970)
Landolt, E., Hummelsheim, E.: Die Untersuchung der Funktionen des excentrischen Netzhautgebietes. In: Graefe-Saemisch Handbuch der gesamten Augenheilkunde. T. Saemisch (Ed.), Vol. 4, S. 503–583. Leipzig: Engelmann 1904
Lehmann, D.: Multichannel topography of human alpha EEG fields. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 31, 439–449 (1971)
Lehmann, D., Meles, H.P., Mir, Z.: Average multichannel EEG potential fields evoked from upper and lower hemiretina: latency differences. Electroencephalogr. Clin. Neurophysiol. 43, 725–731 (1977)
Lehmann, D., Mir, Z.: Methodik und Auswertung visuell evozierter EEG-Potentiale bei Verdacht auf multiple Sklerose. J. Neurol. 213, 97–103 (1976)
Lesèvre, N.: Potentiels évoqués par des pattern chez l'homme: influence des variables caractérisant le stimulus et sa position dans le champ visuel. In: A. Fessard and G. Lelord (Eds.), Activités évoquées et leur conditionnement. INSERM, Paris, 1–22 (1972)
Low, F.N.: The peripheral visual acuity of 100 subjects Am. J. Physiol. 140, 83–88 (1943)
Michael, W.F., Halliday, A.M.: Differences between the occipital distribution of upper and lower field pattern evoked responses in man. Brain Res. 32, 311–324 (1971)
Millodot, M., Lamont, A.: Peripheral visual acuity in the vertical plane. Vision Res. 14, 1497–1498 (1974)
Østerberg, G.: Topography of the layer of rods and cones in the human retina. Acta Ophthal (Kbh.)., Suppl. 6, 1–102 (1935)
Payne, W.H.: Visual reaction times on a circle about the fovea. Science 155, 481–482 (1965)
Siegel, S.: Nonparametric statistics, pp. 312. New York: Me Graw-Hill 1956
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported in part by the Swiss National Science Foundation; EMDO Foundation, Zürich; Hartmann-Müller-Stiftung, Zürich; Smith-Kettlewell Institute, San Francisco, California; and Stiftung Wiss. Forschung, Zürich
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lehmann, D., Skrandies, W. Multichannel evoked potential fields show different properties of human upper and lower hemiretina systems. Exp Brain Res 35, 151–159 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236791
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00236791