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Updated: Mar 31, 2026
Multifocal Electroretinograms
Published on: December 4, 2011
Macular function measured by binocular mfERG and compared with macular structure in healthy children
Anna E C Molnar1, Sten O L Andreasson2, Eva K B Larsson1
1Department of Neuroscience/Ophthalmology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Insights
This study established normative data for multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) in children, finding it reliable for assessing macular function and correlating with retinal thickness. Implicit time differed significantly between boys and girls.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) is crucial for evaluating retinal function.
- Establishing normative data in pediatric populations is essential for accurate clinical interpretation.
- Previous studies have not comprehensively detailed mfERG normative data in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To generate normative data for binocular multifocal ERG (mfERG) in children aged 5-15 years.
- To compare mfERG results with macular thickness measurements obtained via optical coherence tomography (OCT).
- To investigate potential sex-based differences in mfERG parameters.
Main Methods:
- mfERG recordings were performed on 49 healthy children using the Espion Multifocal System and DTL electrodes.
- Analysis focused on the first-order component P1 amplitudes, implicit times, and response densities across three concentric rings.
- Macular thickness was measured using spectral-domain Cirrus OCT.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were observed between right and left eyes in mfERG recordings.
- Median P1 implicit times ranged from 30.0 to 30.8 ms, and response densities from 7.6 to 20.5 nV/deg(2) across rings.
- Boys exhibited longer P1 implicit times than girls across all three rings (p < 0.05), which also correlated with age.
Conclusions:
- Binocular mfERG with DTL electrodes provides a reliable assessment of central macular function in children.
- mfERG findings correlate significantly with macular structural measurements from OCT.
- A notable sex-based difference in implicit time was identified, warranting further investigation.
Purpose:
To create normative data in children from binocular multifocal ERG (mfERG) recordings and compare results with the macular thickness.
Methods:
Forty-nine 5- to 15-year-old healthy, full-term children were examined with Espion Multifocal System, using DTL electrodes. The stimulus matrix consisted of 37 hexagonal elements. Amplitudes, implicit times and response densities (presented in three rings) of the first-order component P1 were analyzed. Measurements of macular thickness were performed with spectral-domain Cirrus OCT.
Results:
There were no significant differences between right and left eyes regarding mfERG recordings. Median P1 implicit times of Rings 1-3 of the 46 right eyes were 30.0, 30.0 and 30.8 ms and response densities 20.5, 10.9 and 7.6 nV/deg(2), respectively. Implicit time was longer in boys than in girls (p = 0.009, 0.039, 0.005 in Rings 1-3) and was correlated with age (r s = 0.417, 0.316, 0.274 in Rings 1-3). Implicit time in Ring 1 correlated significantly with the inner circle of the OCT measurements (p = 0.014).
Conclusion:
Binocular mfERG with DTL electrodes is a reliable test of the central macular function in children and correlates with macular structure. As previously not shown, there was a significant difference in implicit time between boys and girls.
