title: Pattern ERG and VEP maturation in schoolchildren.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The maturation of the visual system has been studied with pattern electroretinograms (PERG) and pattern visual evoked potentials (PVEP) mostly in children under the age of 6 years. To address the question of maturation of the visual system in childhood and adolescence we investigated age-dependent PERG and PVEP changes in children aged 7-18 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  PERG were recorded with skin electrodes attached to the lower eyelid, and PVEP were recorded with 5 electrodes. Visual stimuli, consisting of pattern-reversal 50' checks to full-field and to half-field stimulation, were applied to obtain macular (N70, P100, N145) and paramacular waves (P80, N105, N135).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found an age-dependent decrease (linear regression P<0.05) of PERG P50 amplitude and full-field PVEP P100 latency to monocular right and left eye stimulation, indicating central retinal and postretinal changes. In addition, waveform changes were found in responses to half-field stimulation. The paramacular wave N105 was typically enhanced in younger schoolchildren and diminished with age. The age-dependent decrease (linear regression P<0.01) of paramacular N105 amplitude indicated the increasing predominance of the macular structures of the visual system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that central retinal and postretinal electrophysiological maturation persists throughout childhood. Age-dependent PVEP changes seem to correlate with the morphological and metabolic findings that maturation of the visual cortex continues until puberty and even later.
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic, University Medical Centre, Zaloska c. 29a, 1525 Ljubljana, Slovenia. jelka.brecelj@kclj.si
authors.forename: Jelka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brecelj
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strucl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zidar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tekavcic-Pompe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004596:Electroretinography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology; D015349:Vision, Monocular / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology