Objective
To study the response of the retinal neuronal adaptive system to changes of background illumination (BG) by measuring the oscillatory potentials (OPs) and the a- and b-waves of the electroretinogram (ERG) in different BG illuminations.
Methods
The a- and b-wave and the digitally filtered OPs were simultaneously recorded from Wistar Fu rats aged from 25 to 29 days during dark adaptation (DA) and during 6~8 minutes of BG illuminations at four levels increased successively by steps of two log units, i.e., ldquo;low scotopicrdquo; level of 1.43times;10-6cd/m2, ldquo;high scotopicrdquo; of 1.43times;10-4cd/m2 , ldquo;low mesopicrdquo; of 1.43times;10-2cd/m2 and ldquo;high mesopicrdquo; of 1.43times;10-2cd/m2. Full field stimulus flashes of 75 msec duration and 1.43times;10-2cd/m2intensity was delivered at an interval of 1 minute.
Results
Five OP wavelets were recorded in DA and during scotopic BG illuminations. The number of wavelets was reduced to three as the eyes were exposed to mesopic BG levels. However, the sum of OPs amplitudes (SOPs) increased as the BG was intensified, except at ldquo;high mesopicrdquo; level, by which a significant decrease of SOPs occurred. The amplitudes of the a-and b-waves remained unchanged at the two scotopic BG and decreased as the BG intensity increased to mesopic levels.
Conclusion
The response of retinal neural adaptive system of the Albino rat to changes of BG light is more sensitive and robust than the slow components of the ERG. The enhancement of the oscillatory responses at ldquo;low mesopicrdquo; illumination level suggests that using proper BG light may be conducive to reducing the variation of OPs.
(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2001,17:286-288)
