[Effect of flash on optokinetic nystagmus and postoptokinetic reactions]

Chronic experiments in rabbits revealed disturbances of visual function and the rate of restoration of detecting sensitivity to perception of movements after flash,--by means of the duration of the optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) absence and the period of the optokinetic (OK) responses restoration after the action of flash on the retina. Besides, the duration od the reverse postoptokinetic nystagmus (RPN) after the flash was determined in presence of illuminated OK--cylinder and the stripes in visual field, the latters being an object of fixation under normal conditions leading to cessation of the RPN. The RPN under these conditions lasted for 64.1 +/- 4.3 sec after the flash, switching off the light leading to reappearance of the RPN. The OKN, in spite of the OK stimulation, is absent after the flash during 118.0 +/- 8.4 sec and reaches its initial level within 175.2 +/- 21.7 sec starting from the first stimulus.