Woods J R, Parisi V, Coppes V, Brooks D E
Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1983 Mar 15;145(6):738-43. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(83)90583-5.
The value of measurements of visual evoked potential (VEP) for neurological assessment of the adult is widely accepted. Its use for neonatal evaluation following birth asphyxia has been limited by our knowledge of developmental changes occurring in the newborn brain. VEPs and electroretinograms (ERGs) were simultaneously recorded from five healthy newborn lambs from birth until 30 days of life. Newborn age was then compared with amplitude (height of the signal) and latency (time from stimulus to a specific wave deflection) measurements from these neuroelectrical signals. Latencies to A wave (photoreceptor activity) and B wave (bipolar and ganglion cells) of the ERG declined in a small but significant manner, while the latency interval from A to B wave did not change with age. Latency to wave N1 of the VEP remained stable while latency to P2 declined from birth to 30 days. The ERG and VEP signals exhibited linear increases in amplitude as the lambs became older. We conclude from these observations that ganglion and bipolar cells (B wave of the ERG) within the retina and primary nerve tracts (N1 of the VEP) along the visual system are mature at birth. In contrast, photoreceptor activity within the retina (A wave of the ERG) and nerve conduction through the visual cortex (P2 of the VEP) exhibit changes which are consistent with ongoing maturation of these more specialized areas through the early newborn period.
视觉诱发电位（VEP）测量在成人神经学评估中的价值已被广泛认可。其在出生窒息后新生儿评估中的应用一直受到我们对新生儿大脑发育变化了解程度的限制。从五只健康新生羔羊出生到30日龄期间，同时记录VEP和视网膜电图（ERG）。然后将新生羔羊的年龄与这些神经电信号的幅度（信号高度）和潜伏期（从刺激到特定波偏转的时间）测量值进行比较。ERG的A波（光感受器活动）和B波（双极细胞和神经节细胞）潜伏期呈小幅但显著下降，而A波到B波的潜伏期间隔不随年龄变化。VEP的N1波潜伏期保持稳定，而P2波潜伏期从出生到30日龄下降。随着羔羊年龄增长，ERG和VEP信号的幅度呈线性增加。我们从这些观察结果得出结论，视网膜内的神经节细胞和双极细胞（ERG的B波）以及视觉系统中的初级神经束（VEP的N1波）在出生时已经成熟。相比之下，视网膜内的光感受器活动（ERG的A波）和通过视觉皮层的神经传导（VEP的P2波）表现出的变化与这些更特殊区域在新生儿早期持续成熟的情况一致。
