Pattern ERGs from isoluminant gratings; poor selectivity compared with VEPS.

The PERGs elicited by low contrast achromatic (luminance-modulated) and chromatic (isoluminant) gratings were studied as a function of the presentation mode (rapid onset, offset, reversal), departure from isoluminance, contrast and spatial frequency; predominantly phasic-type responses were found in all cases. We propose that the PERGs for low and moderate contrast, achromatic and chromatic grating stimuli, are generated by non-linear, transient retinal cells of the magno-system. Parvo retinal cells seem to contribute to the response only at higher chromatic contrasts. The transient nature of the PERG obtained from isoluminant gratings makes it doubtful that these signals represent the activity of colour-related processes.