The multifocal visual evoked potential and cone-isolating stimuli: Implications for L- to M-cone ratios and normalization (original) (raw)

L-/M-cone opponency in visual evoked potentials of human cortex

L and M cones send their signals to the cortex using two chromatic (parvocellular and blue–yellow koniocellular) and one luminance (magnocellular) pathways. These pathways contain ON and OFF subpathways that respond to excitation increments and decrements respectively. Here, we report on visually evoked potentials (VEP) recordings that reflect Land M-cone driven increment (L I and M I) and decrement (L D and

On the differentiation of foveal and peripheral early visual evoked potentials

The C1 is one of the earliest visual evoked potentials observed following the onset of a patterned stimulus. The polarity of its peak is dependent on whether stimuli are presented in the upper or lower regions of the peripheral visual field, but has been argued to be negative for stimuli presented to the fovea. However, there has yet to be a systematic investigation into the extent to which the peripheral C1 (pC1) and foveal C1 (fC1) can be differentiated on the basis of response characteristics to different stimuli. The current study employed checkerboard patterns (Exp 1) and sinusoidal gratings of different spatial frequency (Exp 2) presented to the fovea or within one of the four quadrants of the peripheral visual field. The checkerboard stimuli yielded a sizable difference in peak component latency, with the fC1 peaking *32 ms after the pC1. Further, the pC1 showed a band-pass response magnitude profile that peaked at 4 cycles per degree (cpd), whereas the fC1 was high-pass for spatial frequency, with a cut-off around 4 cpd. Finally, the scalp topographies of the pC1 and fC1 in both experiments differed greatly, with the fC1 being more posterior than the pC1. The results reported here call into question recent attempts to characterize general C1 processes without regard to whether stimuli are placed in the fovea or in the periphery.

The topography of visual evoked response properties across the visual field

Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 1994

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) to luminance and pattern reversal stimulation were derived for a large number of small areas throughout the central visual field. In one study, the field was tested with a stimulus array consisting of 64 equal-area patches. Local response components were extracted by independent m-sequence modulation of the patches. Field topographies were compared between and within subjects using different electrode placements. The subject-dependent local variability observed in response characteristics is attributed to contributions from two or more cortical representations of the visual field and to inter-subject variations in gross cortical anatomy. The second study used luminance modulation of 56 patches across a 15 ° field, scaled to activate approximately equal cortical areas in area V1. This produced many robust signals at all eccentricities. Bipolar and double differential ("l-dimensional Laplacian") signals were compared. The double differencing reduced contributions from distant or distributed sources, enhancing nearby current source activity, and greatly improved S/N for many stimulus locations. The high-resolution visual field maps demonstrated that clinical field testing using the VEP is not feasible because of effects of cortical convolutions on responses. However, the vast improvement in data quality and quantity make it a useful tool for VEP source localization and identification.

The effect of eccentricity on the contrast response function of multifocal visual evoked potentials (mfVEPs)

Vision Research, 2009

MfVEPs were recorded with a 22 deg radius, 60-sector pattern reversal dartboard stimulus (VERIS) at 6 contrast levels (10, 25, 35, 50, 75, 95%). Contrast response functions (CRFs) based on response amplitudes were adequately described by a simple hyperbolic function. The effect of reducing contrast on the amplitude was most apparent in the central 1 deg radius, which had a C 50 (contrast at 50% of the maximum response) in excess of 50%, compared to values for C 50 in more eccentric regions that were 30% or lower. Mean latency increased 6 (± 0.7 SE) ms from the highest to the lowest contrast tested, and did not vary sgnificantly with eccentricity.

Multifocal visual evoked potentials to cone specific stimuli in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

Vision Research, 2005

Our aim was to determine whether patients with retinitis pigmentosa show differences in L-and M-cone multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) responses that are eccentricity dependent, as has been shown for control subjects. Second, we compared the losses for mfVEPs to losses on achromatic visual field and multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) measures in the patients. Monocular mfVEPs were recorded to a pattern reversing display that modulated only the L-or M-cones. Also, standard automated achromatic visual fields and mfERGs were obtained. For the control subjects, the ratio of L-cone to M-cone mfVEP amplitudes increased as a function of retinal eccentricity. For the patients, the ratio did not vary with eccentricity. For all measures, responses were least affected for the first ring (central 2.4°) and most affected for the third ring (11.6°-44.4°). For the first ring, mfERG amplitudes were more impaired than were the mfVEPs or the visual field thresholds. For most of the patients, there was local response correspondence among our measures of visual function.

The Pattern-Pulse Multifocal Visual Evoked Potential

To define the pattern-pulse multifocal visual evoked potential (PPMVEP) and determine its characteristics in a sample of normal subjects in terms of amplitude of response attainable, the variation in waveform across visual field, and distribution of potential over the scalp and to compare patternpulse with contrast-reversal multifocal stimuli. METHODS. VEPs were obtained by concurrently stimulating 60 regions of a cortically scaled dartboard with pulses of pattern contrast. Responses were recorded from normal subjects, by using a 32-channel electroencephalogram recording system, and elementary responses to each region were estimated by multiple regression of each of the response channel signals on stimulus signals. Left-eye, right-eye, and binocular viewing conditions were concurrently tested by dichoptic stimulation. A direct comparison was then made with contrast-reversal stimulation. RESULTS. Response waveform sets for 12 subjects varied in maximum amplitude from 1.8 to 6.8 V. A stereotypical distribution of waveforms held in most subjects, depending primarily on the polar angle location of the stimulus within the visual field. In a direct comparison with a contrast-reversal multifocal analysis, the pattern-pulse responses had similar waveforms and scalp topography, but were 15 times larger in amplitude. Root mean square (RMS) signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was 1.9 times higher with pattern-pulse stimulation, corresponding to a reduction of 73% in recording time to achieve the same SNR. CONCLUSIONS. The PPMVEP can simultaneously characterize 60 regions of the visual field for both eyes in less than 7 minutes. A general methodology is illustrated that allows multifocal analysis with flexible choice of stimulus conditions. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003;44:879 -890)

Peripheral contrast reversal inhibits visually evoked potentials in the fovea

Vision Research, 1981

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) to a 0.7" fovea1 test spot of different luminances projected on a white background were recorded with (I) a stationary peripheral black and white grating, and (2) with contrast reversal of the peripheral grating. In the latter case, the near-threshold reduction of visibility of the test spot was accompanied by a reduction of VEP amplitude. To restore threshold visibility or to return to the former amplitude, the same luminance compensation was required. The VEP technique proved to be very sensitive; clear responses were obtained below the visibility threshold, and the response curves showed saturation for a Weber ratio of only 1%.

The multifocal visual evoked potential: An objective measure of visual fields?

Vision Research, 2005

We examined the effects of inter-modal attention and mental arithmetic on Humphrey visual field sensitivity and multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) amplitude. Four normally sighted subjects (ages ranging from 24 to 58 years) participated in this study. Monocular visual field sensitiv ity was measured under two conditions: (1) standard testing condition and (2) while the subject performed a Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT). Monocular mfVEPs were recorded in response to a 60-sector stimulus. The checkerboard pattern in each sector was contrast reversed according to a binary m-sequence. mfVEPs were recorded under two conditions: (1) standard testing conditions and (2) while the subject performed a PASAT. We found that, when compared to the notask condition, all subjects had locations of significantly reduced Humphrey visual field sensitivities when performing the PASAT. In contrast, there were no significant decreases in mfVEP amplitude in any sector for any of the subjects while performing the PASAT. Our findings indicate that divided attention and ongoing mental processes did not affect the mfVEP. Therefore, the mfVEP provides an objective measure of visual field function that may be useful for some patients with unreliable automated static perimetry results.