Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The first and second harmonics of the macular flicker electroretinogram: Differential effects of retinal diseases

  • Published:
Documenta Ophthalmologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of retinal diseases on the macular electroretinogram first and second harmonic components, which are dominated by outer and inner retinal activity, respectively. Macular electroretinograms in response to a uniform field (9° × 9°) flickering sinusoidally at either 32 or 8 Hz (peak frequencies of the first and second harmonics, respectively) were recorded in 14 patients with maculopathies involving photoreceptors (e.g., age-related macular degeneration), in 16 patients with postreceptoral macular diseases (e.g., branch occlusion of central retinal artery), and in 38 normal controls. Amplitude and phase of the first and second harmonic response components were evaluated by Fourier analysis. When compared to controls, patients with photoreceptor diseases had reduction in both first and second harmonic mean amplitudes and second harmonic phase delay; patients with postreceptoral diseases had normal first harmonic components but reduced and delayed second harmonic components. A discriminant analysis, by using first and second harmonic values, correctly classified 13 of 14 patients with photoreceptor diseases and 14 of 16 patients with postreceptoral disorders. These results indicate that combined evaluation of the macular electroretinogram first and second harmonic components is a useful test for identifying the site(s) of retinal dysfunction in patients with macular diseases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

MANOVA:

multivariate analysis of variance

SD:

standard deviation

References

  1. Miyake Y. Layer-by-layer analysis of macular diseases with objectively measured visual functions. Jpn J Ophthalmol 1990; 34: 225–38.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Miyake Y, Miyake K, Shiroyama N. Classification of aphakic cystoid macular edema with focal macular electroretinograms. Am J Ophthalmol 1993; 116: 573–83.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Miyake Y, Shiroyama N, Ota I, Horiguchi M. Focal macular electroretinogram in X-linked congenital retinoschisis. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1993; 34: 512–5.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Seiple WH, Siegel IM, Carr RE, Mayron C. Evaluating macular function using the focal ERG. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1986; 27: 1123–30.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Porciatti V, Falsini B, Fadda A, Bolzani R. Steady-state analysis of the focal ERG to pattern and flicker: relationship between ERG components and retinal pathology. Clin Vision Sci 1989; 4: 323–32.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Abraham FA, Alpern M, Kirk DB. Electroretinograms evoked by sinusoidal excitation of human cones. J Physiol 1985; 363: 135–50.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Odom JV, Reits D, Burgers N, Reimslag FCC. Flicker electroretinograms: a system analytic approach. Opt Vision Sci 1992; 69: 106–16.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Burns SA, Elsner AE, Keitz MR. Analysis of nonlinearities in the flicker ERG. Opt Vision Sci 1992; 69: 95–105.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Baker CL, Hess RF, Olsen BT, Zrenner E. Current source density analysis of linear and non-linear components of the primate electroretinogram. J Physiol (Lond) 1988; 407: 155–76.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Porciatti V, Falsini B. Inner retina contribution to the flicker electroretinogram: a comparison with the pattern electroretinogram. Clin Vision Sci 1993; 8: 435–47.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Brindley GS, Westheimer G. Spatial properties of the human electroretinogram. J Physiol 1965; 179: 518–37.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Baker CL, Hess RF. Linear and nonlinear components of human electroretinogram. J Neurophysiol 1984; 51: 952–67.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Fiorentini A, Maffei L, Pirchio M, Spinelli D, Porciatti V. The ERG in response to alternating gratings in patients with diseases of the peripheral visual pathway. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1981; 21: 490–3.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sandberg MA, Jacobson SG, Berson EL. Foveal cone electroretinogram in retinitis pigmentosa and juvenile macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol 1979; 80: 702–7.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Biersdorf WR. The clinical utility of the foveal electroretinogram: a review. Doc Ophthalmol 1990; 73: 313–25.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Seiple WH, Holopigian K, Greenstein VC, Hood DC. Sites of cone system sensitivity loss in retinitis pigmentosa. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1993; 34: 2638–45.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Falsini B, Colotto A, Porciatti V, Buzzonetti L, Coppè A, De Luca LA. Macular flicker-and pattern E R Gs are differently affected in ocular hypertension and glaucoma. Clin Vision Sci 1991; 6: 422–9.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Falsini B, Bardocci A, Porciatti V, Bolzani R, Piccardi M. Macular dysfunction in multiple sclerosis revealed by steady-state flicker and pattern E R Gs. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 1992; 83: 53–9.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Miyake Y, Shiroyama N, Ota I, Horiguchi M. Local macular electroretinographic responses in idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy. Am J Ophthalmol 1988; 106: 546–50.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Fish GE, Birch DG. The focal electroretinogram in the clinical assessment of macular disease. Ophthalmology 1989; 96: 109–14.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eye Clinic, Catholic University, Lgo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy

    Benedetto Falsini, Erasmo Merendino, Giancarlo Iarossi & Silvano Cermola

  2. Institute of Neurophysiology, CNR, Pisa, Italy

    Vittorio Porciatti

  3. Biomedical Engineering Laboratory, ISS, Rome, Italy

    Antonello Fadda

Authors
  1. Benedetto Falsini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vittorio Porciatti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Antonello Fadda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Erasmo Merendino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Giancarlo Iarossi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Silvano Cermola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Falsini, B., Porciatti, V., Fadda, A. et al. The first and second harmonics of the macular flicker electroretinogram: Differential effects of retinal diseases. Doc Ophthalmol 90, 157–167 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01203335

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01203335

Key words

Search

Navigation