title: Psychophysical evidence for post-receptoral sensitivity loss in diabetics.
abstract: Although numerous reports show that the sensitivity of the S cone system is decreased in diabetic patients, few studies have been directed toward identifying the possible sites of the sensitivity loss. In this study, a psychophysical technique was used to test hypotheses about sites of S cone system sensitivity loss in a group of patients with early diabetic retinopathy. A model of the S cone system was assumed and the experimental conditions were chosen to distinguish between explanations for S cone sensitivity loss at the receptor level from explanations for loss at a post-receptoral level. Within the context of the model, the data were consistent with S cone system sensitivity loss occurring at a post-receptoral level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016.
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Greenstein
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Hood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011601:Psychophysics; D012684:Sensory Thresholds