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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.
Journal of Child Neurology
|May 29, 2015
Summary
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.
