Luminosity functions of human electroretinogram wavelets evoked with pattern-reversal stimuli.

Concomitant determinations of the spectral sensitivity of the b-wave and of the wavelets which are superimposed on the ascending slope of the b-wave of the human electroretinogram were made in two subjects with the use of alternating colored checkerboard patterns. The method of constant criterion response was applied to the luminance curves of the b-wave and of the wavelets relating the peak latency of the response to the stimulus intensity. The spectral sensitivity of the b-wave showed a Purkinje shift and was of mesopic activity at those adaptation levels at which the wavelets could be observed for the first time. The spectral sensitivity of the wavelets could be described best by the curve of the peripheral cones at all intensity levels associated with the appearance oing photopic retinal activity unaffected by the contributions of the scotopic system.