Abnormal pattern electroretinogram in Alzheimer's disease: evidence for retinal ganglion cell degeneration?
We recorded pattern-reversal electroretinograms, flash electroretinograms, pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials, and flash visual evoked potentials in 6 patients with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease and 6 age- and sex-matched control subjects. The mean amplitude of the pattern-reversal electroretinogram in the Alzheimer patients was significantly less than that of the control group (p = 0.004). This anomaly of the pattern-reversal electroretinogram may be a reflection of documented axonal depletion within the optic nerve and the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells seen in Alzheimer's disease. We found Alzheimer patients to have normal pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials and flash electroretinograms, but a delayed second positive component of the flash visual evoked potential. This combination of findings may be of diagnostic import in Alzheimer's disease.
Katz
B
B
Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla.
Rimmer
S
S
Iragui
V
V
Katzman
R
R
D000200:Action Potentials; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*