H van der Marel | PubMed Health

PubMed1982

Nitrous oxide influences pattern EP estimate of visual acuity.

The effect of nitrous oxide (N2O) inhalation on the pattern EP with the onset and disappearance of checkerboard patterns was studied in four healthy volunteers. Checkerboards with checks ranging from 2 to 55 min of arc were presented to subjects sedated at various levels. Under the highest level introduced, 60% N2O, fixation of the pattern was still adequate. The major consistent changes in the pattern onset EP under N2O inhalation are (a) preferential attenuation of the response to small checks and (b) an increase of the response amplitude to large checks. The change in the amplitude versus check-size curve under N2O inhalation restricts the assessment of visual acuity on the basis of the pattern EP. In patients sedated with N2O, EP methods can be used only as a gross indicant of visual acuity.

Administration, Intranasal↗

PubMed1981

Pattern evoked potentials in awake rhesus monkeys.

The pattern evoked potential (EP) in man to checkerboard stimulation has been shown to consist of various components originating in different regions of the visual cortex. Surface recordings, however, cannot unambiguously localize the sources of these components; for precision, depth recordings seem to be indicated. Considering the close correspondence in cortical architecture to man, rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) seem to be a suitable animal for such experiments. However, Padmos et al. demonstrated that in monkeys anesthetized by pentobarbital (Nembutal), no pattern EP as found in man could be recorded. The present experiments were carried out to investigate whether the lack of contrast-specific EPs in monkey can be attributed to the effects of anesthesia. Four rhesus monkeys were trained to fixate at a television screen on which checkerboard and bar patterns of various sizes could be presented. The results from this study demonstrate that in monkey as in man, pattern EPs can be obtained that can be distinguished from those evoked by luminance variations. Therefore the awake rhesus monkey seems to be a suitable experimental model in the search for the origin of the pattern EP.

Animals↗