title: Effects of methanol on the retinal function of juvenile rats.
abstract: We have investigated the effect of methanol exposure on the retinal function of juvenile rats. The electroretinogram (ERG) and oscillatory potentials (OPs) were recorded prior to and up to 72 h after the administration of methanol. Data were compared to a control group which was only exposed to physiological saline. Our findings can be summarized as follows: methanol generally reduced the amplitude of all retinal potentials, and in some cases, to baseline levels. The ERG b-wave was affected earlier and more prominently than the a-wave. All measured OPs (2-4) were decreased but OP2 was less affected, suggesting that the cone pathway may be less sensitive to methanol than the rod-mediated pathway. These data indicate that juvenile rats (21 days old, i.e. with an immature synaptic development) present a sensitivity to methanol comparable to that observed in adult animals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire des Neurosciences de la vision, Ecole d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Que, Canada H3C 3J7.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Plaziac
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lachapelle
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casanova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004596:Electroretinography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects*; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; D000432:Methanol