Lateral interaction component and local luminance nonlinearities in the human pattern reversal ERG.

Two different mechanisms are presumed to contribute to pattern electroretinograms: non linearities of the local luminance response and nonlinear effects of lateral interactions. Previous attempts to discriminate the two components relied on the theoretical MTF of the optics. In this study, techniques of nonlinear systems analysis are used to extract the two components from the response to pattern reversal of different check sizes. The decomposition is based on the structure of the second order pattern reversal kernels alone. Detailed information about the two mechanisms can be gleaned from the kernel structure. The component properties are compared and discussed.