title: Relationship between electrophysiological, psychophysical, and anatomical measurements in glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship between electrophysiological, psychophysical, and structural measurements in normal and glaucomatous eyes and to test the hypothesis that there is a continuous structure-function relationship between ganglion cell numbers and visual field sensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four normal subjects and 40 patients with glaucoma were examined with the pattern electroretinogram (PERG), perimetry and retinal tomography. Transient and steady state (SS) PERGs were recorded, and peak (P)-to-trough (N) amplitude was measured. The unit of differential light sensitivity (DLS) in perimetry is the decibel. The decibel is 10. log(1/Lambert), where the Lambert is the unit of test spot intensity. PERG amplitudes were correlated with decibel and 1/Lambert DLS for the central 18 degrees of the visual field and with neuroretinal rim area in the temporal part of the optic disc. Age-related changes in the structural and functional measurements were sought. The correlation between variables was investigated by linear and quadratic regression analysis. A quadratic (y = ax + bx(2) + c) fit was taken to be significantly better than a linear fit, if the coefficient (b) for the x(2) term was significant at P < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A quadratic fit between decibel DLS and PERG amplitude (transient PERG: R(2) = 0.40, P = 0.0000; SS PERG: R(2) = 0.32, P = 0.0000) was significantly better than a linear fit. There was a linear correlation between 1/Lambert DLS and PERG amplitude (transient PERG: R(2) = 0.44, P = 0.0000; SS PERG: R(2) = 0.35, P = 0.0000). There was a linear correlation between temporal neuroretinal rim area and PERG amplitude (transient PERG: R(2) = 0.17, P = 0.0003; SS PERG: R(2) = 0.20, P = 0.0001). A quadratic fit between decibel DLS and temporal neuroretinal rim area (R(2) = 0.38, P = 0.0000) was significantly better than a linear fit. There was a linear correlation between 1/Lambert DLS and temporal neuroretinal rim area (R(2) = 0.30, P = 0.0000). Both DLS and PERG amplitude declined with age in the normal subjects. The rate of decline was -0.17%, -0.74%, -0.75%, and -0.78% per year for decibel DLS, 1/Lambert DLS, transient PERG, and SS PERG, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a curvilinear relationship between decibel DLS and both PERG amplitude and neuroretinal rim area, and a linear relationship between 1/Lambert DLS and PERG amplitude and neuroretinal rim area. These findings support the hypothesis that there is no ganglion cell functional reserve but a continuous structure-function relationship, and that the impression of a functional reserve results from the logarithmic (decibel) scaling of the visual field.
authors.affiliation: Glaucoma Research Unit, Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London EC1V 2PD, UK. david.garway-heath@moorfields.nhs.uk
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Garway-Heath
authors.forename: Graham E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Holder
authors.forename: Fred W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Fitzke
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hitchings
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D004596:Electroretinography; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011601:Psychophysics; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields