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Updated: Apr 11, 2026
Stimulus-specific Cortical Visual Evoked Potential Morphological Patterns
Published on: May 12, 2019
Visual Evoked Potentials as a Readout of Cortical Function in Infants With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
Kandice J Varcin1, Charles A Nelson2, Jordan Ko3
1Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Insights
Children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) show normal early visual processing despite risks for neurodevelopmental disorders. This suggests visual delays in TSC are not due to deficits in basic visual processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder linked to neurodevelopmental issues like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID).
- Previous research indicates potential delays in visual reception skills, possibly predicting ASD and ID development in TSC.
- Animal models suggest alterations in the retinogeniculate pathway in TSC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate early visual processing in infants with TSC.
- To determine if TSC is associated with alterations in visual evoked potentials (VEPs) that could impact higher-level visual behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded in 12-month-old infants.
- The study included infants with TSC (n=16) and typically developing infants (n=18).
Main Results:
- Infants with TSC exhibited intact VEPs, even with co-occurring intellectual disability and epilepsy.
- This indicates preserved visual cortical processing in infants with TSC.
Conclusions:
- Early visual processing appears intact in infants with TSC.
- Delays in visually mediated behaviors observed in TSC may not stem from fundamental deficits in early visual processing.
Abstract:
Tuberous sclerosis complex is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that confers a high risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. Studies have demonstrated specific delays in visual reception skills that may predict the development of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. Based on evidence for alterations in the retinogeniculate pathway in animal models of tuberous sclerosis complex, we asked whether children with tuberous sclerosis complex demonstrate alterations in early visual processing that may undermine the development of higher-level visual behaviors. Pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials were recorded in infants with tuberous sclerosis complex (n = 16) and typically developing infants (n = 18) at 12 months of age. Infants with tuberous sclerosis complex demonstrated remarkably intact visual evoked potentials even within the context of intellectual disability and epilepsy. Infants with tuberous sclerosis complex show intact visual cortical processing, suggesting that delays in visually mediated behaviors in tuberous sclerosis complex may not be rooted in early visual processing deficits.
