Abstract
Electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded as a function of flicker frequency from 5 to 50Hz for 14 retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients, 12 normal subjects and 1 rod monochromat. Data were analyzed by measuring the angular position of the response maximum, i.e. the phase, as a function of pulse-train frequency. Flicker ERGs obtained from the RP patients showed non-linear, frequency-dependent phase shifts when compared to the normal data. These phase shifts were simulated in a normal observer by attenuating the stimulus luminance by 1 log unit. However, the shape of the waveforms recorded from the normal differed markedly from those recorded from the RP patients. The differences, but not the ratios of the times-to-peak of the positive and negative ERG wavelets were longer in the RP patients than in the normal. These data suggest that the temporal anomalies in the RP flicker ERG are most likely due to changes in the amplitudes and time constants of the ERG components, and not simply to a reduced quantum catch or photoreceptor loss.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Anderson CM, Troelstra A and Garcia CA (1979) Quantitative evaluation of photopic ERG waveforms. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 18:26–43
Berson EL, Gouras P, Gunkel RD and Myrianthopoulos NC (1969b) Dominant retinitis pigmentosa with reduced penetrance. Arch Ophthal 81:226–234
Berson EL, Gouras P and Gunkel RD (1968) Rod responses in retinitis pigmentosa, dominantly inherited. Arch Ophthal 80:58–67
Berson EL, Gouras P, Gunkel RD and Myrianthopoulos NC (1969a) Rod and cone responses in sex-linked retinitis pigmentosa. Arch Ophthal 81:215–225
Berson EL, Gouras P and Hoff M (1969) Temporal aspects of the electroretinogram. Arch Ophthal 81:207–214
Berson EL and Kanters L (1970) Cone and rod responses in a family with recessively inherited retinitis pigmentosa. Arch Ophthal 84:288–297
Fricker SJ (1971) Application of synchronous detector techniques for electroretinographic studies in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthal 10:329–339
Marmor MF (1979) The electroretinogram in retinitis pigmentosa. Arch Ophthal 97: 1300–1304
Massof R and Finkelstein D (1979) Rod sensitivity relative to cone sensitivity in retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 18:263–272
Massof RW, Wu L, Finkelstein D, Perry C, Starr SJ and Johnson MA (1984) Properties of electroretinographic intensity-response functions in retinitis pigmentosa. Docum Ophthal 57:279–296
Rothberg D, Weinstein G, Hobson R and Nork T (1982) Electroretinography and retinitis pigmentosa. Arch Ophthal 100:1422–1426
Sandberg MA, Sullivan PL and Berson EL (1981) Temporal aspects of the dark-adapted a-wave in retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 21:765–769
Szamier RB, Berson EL, Klein R and Meyers S (1979) Sex-linked retinitis pigmentosa: ultrastructure of photoreceptors in pigment epithelium. Invest Ophthal Vis Sci 18: 145–160
Troelstra A and Garcia CA (1975) The electrical response of the human eye to sinusoidal light stimulation. IEEE Trans Biomed 22:369–378
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Supported by research and core facility grants from the National Institutes of Health (EY-01791 and EY-01765)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Massof, R.W., Johnson, M.A., Sunness, J.S. et al. Flicker electroretinogram in retinitis pigmentosa. Doc Ophthalmol 62, 231–245 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212649
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00212649