The neurophysiologic significance of frontal negativity in pattern-reversal visual-evoked potentials

To demonstrate that the frontal negative potential (N100) does exist in response to pattern-reversal visual stimulation and its independence of the dipole source from the major occipital positive potential (P100), modifications of P100 and N100 with changes in the check size, contrast, and luminance of the stimulus pattern were studied in healthy subjects. Eight different check sizes (10-90 min of arc), eight different contrast levels (10-85%), and six different luminance levels (11-180 cd/m2) were used. Changing the stimulus conditions modified the latencies and amplitudes of P100 and N100 in different ways. P100 latency had a band pass spatial tuning function against check size; N100 latency did not. P100 was sensitive to changes in contrast and luminance; N100 was less dependent on these parameters. These findings suggest the existence of different physiologic properties for N100. Consequently, frontal negativity is considered to be independent of P100.