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Changes in chromatic pattern-onset VEP with full-body inversion

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Abstract

Purpose Intra-ocular pressure (IOP) increases to double that of its normal level under full-body inversion, in part simulating high IOPs found in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Inversion also simulates negative g-forces experienced in aerobatic maneuvers such as those produced during aerial combat. Studies using achromatic pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) have shown losses in response amplitude when subjects are inverted and IOP is increased. In other studies, chromatic, pattern-onset VEPs have been shown to be a sensitive and objective indicator of ocular and systemic pathology. Thus, chromatic pattern-onset VEPs may also show changes in amplitude and/or latency when subjects are subjected to full-body inversion. Methods In this study we employed chromatic, pattern-onset VEPs to determine if there were changes in response latency for the different visual pathways with healthy subjects during full-body inversion. Stimuli were 1 cpd horizontal sine-wave patterns presented in an onset mode (100 ms on/400 ms off). Subjects (n = 7) were tested at low to medium contrast levels, which were subjectively equated across chromatic pathways (S, LM, and achromatic). Patterns were presented using LCD goggles. Results All subjects showed a small but statistically significant increase in latency in the large negative component (CII) for both L − M and S − (L + M) pathways during inversion. The achromatic pathway also showed a statistically significant increase in latency to the positive component (CI) during inversion. Conclusions These results demonstrate that changes in ocular and/or systemic physiology during full-body inversion can result in increased latencies of chromatic and achromatic pattern-onset VEPs.

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Abbreviations

IOP:

Intra-ocular pressure

RVPP:

Retinal vascular profusion pressure

VEP:

Visual evoked potential

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Mail stop 296, 1664 N. Virginia St, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    Jennifer Highsmith & Michael A. Crognale

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  1. Jennifer Highsmith
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  2. Michael A. Crognale
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Correspondence to Jennifer Highsmith.

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Highsmith, J., Crognale, M.A. Changes in chromatic pattern-onset VEP with full-body inversion. Doc Ophthalmol 119, 59–66 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-009-9170-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10633-009-9170-0

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