To assess nerve conduction in visual pathways in patients with open-angle glaucoma.
Methods.
Pattern-electroretinograms (PERG) and visual-evoked potentials (VEP) were simultaneously recorded in 16 patients with open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and 15 age-matched controls. The visual stimuli were checker-board patterns (the check edges subtend 15’; the contrast was 70% and reversed at the rate of 2 reversals/s).
Results.
POAG patients showed significantly higher PERG and VEP latencies (ANOVA: P<0.01) and significantly lower amplitudes than controls; the retinocortical time (RCT: difference between VEP P100 latency and PERG P50 latency) was longer (P<0.01) in POAG than controls and the longer RCT was correlated with the reduced PERG amplitude (r:0.798, P<0.01).
Conclusions.
This suggests that POAG patients have an involvement of the innermost retinal layers and impaired nerve conduction in their visual pathways.
MaffeiL., FiorentiniA.Electroretinographic responses to alternating gratings before and after section of the optic nerve.Science1981; 211: 953–5.
2.
MaffeiL., FiorentiniA.Electroretinographic responses to alternating gratings in the cat.Exp Brian Res1982; 48: 327–34.
3.
MaffeiL., FiorentiniA., BistiS., HollanderH.Pattern ERG in the monkey after section of the optic nerve.Exp Brian Res1985; 59: 423–5.
4.
HollanderH., BistiS., MaffeiL., HebelR.Electroretinographic responses and retrograde changes of retinal morphology after intracranial optic nerve section. A quantitative analysis in the cat.Exp Brian Res1984; 55: 483–94.
5.
TrimarchiC., BiralG., DomeniciL., PorciattiV., BistiS.The flash and pattern electroretinogram generators in the cat: a pharmacological approach.Clin Vis Sci1990; 6: 19–24.
6.
ClesiaG.C., KaufmannD.Pattern ERG and visual evoked potentials in maculopathies and optic nerve disease.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1985; 26: 726–35.
7.
CelesiaG.C., KaufmannD., ConeS.B.Simultaneous recording of pattern electroretinography and visual evoked potentials in multiple sclerosis. A method to separate demyelination from axonal damage to the optic nerve.Arch Neurol1986; 43: 1247–52.
8.
HenkesH.E.The electroretinogram in glaucoma.Ophthalmologica1951; 121: 44–5.
9.
IserG., GoodmanG.Clinical studies with fliker electroretinography.Am J Ophthalmol1956; 42: 227–37.
10.
VanysekJ.Glaucoma in the electroretinographic picture.Zbl Ges Ophthal1956; 67: 33–7.
11.
FrancoisJ., De RouxA.L'electroretinographie dans le glaucome primaire.Ann Ocul Paris1959; 192: 321–53.
12.
BustiA.Elettroretinografia semplice e differenziata nel glaucoma.Boll Ocul1962; 41: 339–49.
13.
PonteF.Reperti elettroretinografici e adattometrici nel glaucoma cronico nel miope elevato.Boll Ocul1962; 41: 739–55.
14.
MarxM.S., PodosS.M., Bodis-WollnerI.. Flash and pattern electroretinograms in normal and laser-induced glaucomatous eyes.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1986; 27: 378–86.
15.
GurM., ZeeviY., BielikM., NeumannE.Changes in the oscillatory potentials of the electroretinogram in glaucoma.Curr Eye Res1987; 6: 457–66.
16.
SiliprandiR., BucciM.G., CanellaR., CarmignotoG.Flash and pattern electroretinograms during and after acute intraocular pressure elevation in cat.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1988; 29: 558–65.
17.
LovasikJ.V., KotheA.C.Neutral effects of transiently raised intraocular pressure: scotopic and photopic electroretinogram.Clin Vis Sci1989; 4: 312–21.
18.
FeghaliJ.G., JinJ., OdomV.Effect of short-term intraocular pressure elevation on the rabbit electroretinogram.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1991; 32: 2184–9.
19.
SokolS., DomarA., MoskowitzA., SchwartzB.Pattern evoked potentials latency and contrast sensitivity in glaucoma and ocular hypertension.Doc Ophthalmol Proc Ser1981; 27: 79–86.
20.
BobakP., Bodis-WollnerI., HarnoisC.. Pattern electroretinograms and visual evoked potentials in glaucoma and multiple sclerosis.Am J Ophthalmol1983; 196: 72–83.
21.
WangerP., PerssonH.E.Pattern reversal electroretinograms in unilateral glaucoma.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1983; 24: 749–53.
22.
WangerP., PerssonH.E.Pattern reversal electroretinogram in ocular hypertension.Doc Ophthalmol1985; 61: 27–31.
23.
PorciattiV., FalsiniB., BrunoriS., ColottoA., MorettiG.Pattern electroretinogram as a function of spatial frequency in ocular hypertension and early glaucoma.Doc Ophthalmol1987; 65: 349–55.
24.
MierdelP., MarrèE., ZenkerH.J.Die VECP-Verzogerung bei rampenreizung nach hell und dunkeladaptation bei begin-nenden glaukomatosen funtionsausfallen.Fortschr Ophthalmol1988; 85: 161–3.
25.
KotheA.C., LovasikJ.V.Neural effects of transiently raised intraocular pressure: the pattern visual evoked potential and the pattern electroretinogram.Clin Vis Sci1989; 4: 301–11.
26.
TowleV., MoskowitzA., SokolS., SchwartzB.The visual evoked potential in glaucoma and ocular hypertension: effect of check size, field size and stimulation rate.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1983; 24: 175–83.
27.
AtkinA., Bodis-WollnerI., PodosS.M., WolksteinM., MylinL., NitzbergS.Flicker threshold and pattern VEP in ocular hypertension and glaucoma.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1983; 24: 1524–8.
28.
MarxM.S., Bodis-WollnerI., PodosS.M., TeitelbaunC.S.The pattern ERG and VEP in glaucomatous optic nerve disease in the monkey and human. In Evoked Potentials, CraccoR.Q., and Bodis-WollnerI., editors. New York: Alan R Liss, Inc1986; 117–26.
29.
HoweJ.W., MitkellK.W.Visual evoked cortical potential to paracentral retinal stimulation in chronic glaucoma, ocular hypertension and age-matched group of normal.Doc Ophthalmol1986; 63: 37–44.
30.
BucciM.G., ParisiV., RossiniP.M., RizzoP.I potenziali evocati visivi durante una indotta ipotensione oculare: utilità per una diagnosi precoce di glaucoma.Ann Ottalmol Clin Ocul1988; 12: 1225–34.
31.
BucciM.G., ParisiV., GianniniR., RossiniP.M.Recordings of visual evoked potentials after photostress in artificially increased intraocular pressure.Clin Vis Sci1991; 6: 431–6.
32.
BrayL.C., MitchellK.W., HoweJ.W., GashauA.Visual function in glaucoma: a comparative evaluation of computerised static perimetry and the pattern visual evoked potential.Clin Vis Sci1992; 7: 21–9.
33.
ParisiV., BucciM.G.Visual evoked potentials after photostress in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1992; 33: 436–42.
34.
TomodaH., CelesiaG.G., ToleikisS.C.Effect of spatial frequency on simultaneous recorded steady-state pattern electroretinograms and visual evoked potentials.Electroenceph Clin Neurophysiol1990; 80: 81–8.
35.
TetsukaS., KatsumiO., MethaM., TetsukaH., HiroseT.Effect of stimulus contrast on simultaneous steady-state pattern reversal electroretinogram and visual evoked response.Ophthalmic Res1992; 24: 110–8.
36.
CelesiaG.G., Bodis-WollnerI., ChatrianG.E., HardingG.F.A., SokolS., SpekreijseH.Recommended standards for electroretinograms and visual evoked potentials. Report of an IFCN Committee.Electroenceph Clin Neurophysiol1993; 87: 421–36.
37.
FiorentiniA., MaffeiL., PirchioM., SpinelliD., PorciattiV.The ERG in response to alternating gratings in patients with diseases of the peripherheral visual patway.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1981; (suppl 21): 490.
38.
QuigleyH.A., SanchezR.M., DunkelbergerG.R., L'HernaultN.L., BaginskiT.A.Chronic glaucoma selectively damages large optic nerve fibers.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1987; 28: 913–20.
39.
QuigleyH.A., DunkelbergerG.R., GreenW.R.Chronic human glaucoma causing selectively greater loss of large optic nerve fibers.Ophthalmology1988; 95: 357–64.
40.
QuigleyH.A., AddicksM., GreenW.R.Optic nerve damage in Human glaucoma: III. Quantitative correlation of nerve fiber loss and visual deficit in glaucoma, ischemic neuropathy, disc edema and toxic neuropathy.Arch Ophthalmol1982; 100: 135–46.
41.
JohnsonM.A., DrumB.A., QuigleyH.A., SanchezR.M., DunkelbergerG.R.Pattern-evoked potentials and optic nerve fiber loss in monocular laser-induced glaucoma.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1989; 30: 897–907.
42.
PorciattiV., FalsiniB., FaddaA., BolzaniR.Steady-state analysis of the focal ERG to pattern and flicker: relationship between ERG components and retinal pathology.Clin Vis Sci1989; 4: 323–32.
43.
PorciattiV., MorettiG., CiavarellaP., FalsiniB.The second harmonic of the electroretinogram to sinusoidal flicker: spatiotemporal properties and clinical application.Doc Ophthalmol1993; 84: 39–46.
44.
FalsiniB., ColottoA., PorciattiV., BuzzonettiL., CoppéA., De LucaL.A.Macular flicker-and pattern ERGs are differently affected in ocular hypertension and glaucoma.Clin Vis Sci1991; 6: 422–9.
45.
HoweJ.W., MitchellK.W.Electrophysiologically determined contrast sensitivity in patients with ocular hypertension and chronic glaucoma.Doc Ophthalmol1992; 80: 31–41.
46.
DandonaL., HendricksonA., QuigleyH.A.Selective effects of experimental glaucoma on axonal transport by retinal ganglion cell to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus.Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1991; 32: 1593–9.
