Influence of simultaneous pattern-reversal electroretinogram recording on visual evoked potentials

Little is known about the influence of the presence of a gold-foil electrode on pattern-reversal visual evoked potential recording, although simultaneous pattern-reversal electroretinography has been applied in several clinical investigations. We compared the results of pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials simultaneously recorded with pattern-reversal electroretinograms with those obtained during separate pattern-reversal visual evoked potential recording in 10 normal subjects. Transient response (reversal rate, 1 Hz; check size, 30') and steady-state response (reversal rate, 5 Hz; check size, 120', 60', 30', 15' and 7.5') were analyzed under the stimulus contrast condition of 90%. Neither P100 latency in transient responses nor amplitudes in steady-state responses exhibited significant change at any check size when they were recorded separately or simultaneously with pattern-reversal electroretinograms. The results suggest that the gold-foil electrode exerts no significant influence on pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials. Simultaneous pattern-reversal electroretinogram and visual evoked potential recording is therefore confirmed to be a clinically useful method. This procedure makes the synchronous recording of both responses possible under the identical stimulus conditions.