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Pattern reversal visual evoked potentials in Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|December 1, 1982
Summary
Visual evoked potential testing revealed abnormalities in 70% of Japanese multiple sclerosis patients. Delayed P100 latency is useful for detecting subclinical optic nerve damage, even with mild visual impairment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system.
- Oriental MS may present with distinct clinical features compared to Western MS.
- Visual evoked potential (VEP) is a key diagnostic tool for assessing optic nerve function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of pattern reversal visual evoked potential (VEP) in Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis.
- To compare VEP findings in Japanese MS patients with healthy controls.
- To characterize the specific VEP abnormalities in different MS severity groups.
Main Methods:
- Studied 47 Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis (29 probable, 18 possible).
- Utilized black-and-white checkerboard pattern reversal visual evoked potential (VEP).
- Compared VEP results with a control group of 20 healthy young adults.
Main Results:
- The major positive peak (P100) was abnormal in 70% of all MS cases (90% probable, 39% possible).
- P100 latency was delayed in 38% and absent in 23% of cases.
- Absence of VEP response was more frequent in this cohort than in Western studies, supporting unique oriental MS features.
Conclusions:
- VEP, particularly P100 latency, is a sensitive tool for detecting optic nerve lesions in Japanese MS patients.
- Delayed P100 latency is observed irrespective of visual impairment severity, suggesting its value in identifying subclinical optic nerve involvement.
- The higher rate of absent VEP responses highlights potential differences in MS presentation in Asian populations.