OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of the regional retinal responses on cortical visually evoked responses, by evaluating the relationship between multifocal ERG (mfERG) and multifocal VEP (mfVEP), in the retinitis pigmentosa (RP) model.

METHODS

MfERGs and mfVEPs were recorded from 20 typical RP patients. Response amplitude density (RAD, nV/deg(2)) and implicit time (ms) of the mfERG 1st order binary kernel (N1-P1) and mfVEP 2nd order binary kernel (P1) components were measured. Ring analysis, matched for mfERG and mfVEP stimuli, was performed between fovea and mid-periphery (0-2.5, 2.5-5, 5-10, 10-15 and 15-20deg).

RESULTS

At central and pericentral retinal regions (four eccentricities between 0 and 15deg), mfERG N1 RADs were positively correlated (r0.68, p<0.01) with corresponding mfVEP P1 RADs. Similarly, mfERG P1 implicit times were positively correlated (r>or=0.65, p<0.01) with corresponding mfVEP N1 implicit times.

CONCLUSIONS

There are quantitative correlations between mfERG and mfVEP components in RP.

SIGNIFICANCE

The data suggest that regional responses of the photoreceptors and off-bipolar cells, the main generators of mfERG N1, have a major impact on the corresponding cortical activity.