Pharmacological dissociation of the b-wave and pattern electroretinogram.

Electroretinographic responses to modulation of either luminance (focal ERG) or spatial contrast (pattern ERG) were recorded from the pigeon eye before and after intravitreal injection of glutamate analogues DL alpha amino adipic acid (DL alpha AA) and 2-amino-4 phosphonobutyric acid (APB). Both toxins reversibly abolished the b-wave. The pattern ERG was still present, however, when the b-wave had been abolished by the toxins. This result demonstrates that the b-wave and the pattern ERG can be pharmacologically dissociated and suggests the possibility that in pigeons the b-wave and pattern ERG reflect the activity of different generators.