Centrifugal effects on the cat electroretinogram after section of one optic nerve

✍ Scribed by Edgar Auerbach; Moshe Feinsod

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 399 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0012-4486
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00151795

✦ Synopsis

In twelve cats the ERG was examined prior to and after severance of one optic nerve. The neurally isolated eye displayed enhanced ERG b-waves as compared to preoperative recordings and to recordings from the fellow eye. The concept of an inhibitory control of retinal function via centrifugal fibers within the optic nerve which rivals retinal sensitivity is discussed. Photic stimulation superimposed upon background illumination did not produce differences in the ERGs. During recovery from light adaptation the ERG was often equal in both eyes during the photopic phase of dark adaptation. Thereafter the isolated eye exhibited enhanced retinal responses. These findings are in accordance with those from patients with optic nerve lesion. When intermittent stimulations at different intensities were used the positive amplitudes of the first response in the isolated eye were always higher than those in the fellow eye. The steady states were achieved later in the isolated eye than in the fellow eye and decreased at a faster rate in the former. This suggests a decreased ability of the isolated eye to maintain its performance as compared to the eye under cerebral control.