Chromatic discrimination losses in multiple sclerosis patients with and without optic neuritis using the Cambridge Colour Test.
We assessed chromatic discrimination in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients both with (ON) and without (no ON) a history of optic neuritis using the Cambridge color test (CCT). Our goal was to determine the magnitude and chromatic axes of any color vision losses in both patient groups, and to evaluate age-related changes in chromatic discrimination in both patient groups compared to normals. Using the CCT, we measured chromatic discrimination along the protan, deutan and tritan axes in 35 patients with MS (17 ON eyes) and 74 age matched controls. Color thresholds for both patient groups were significantly higher than controls' along the protan and tritan axes (p < 0.001). In addition, the ON and no-ON groups differed significantly along all three-color axes (p < 0.001). MS patients presented a progressive color discrimination impairment with age (along the deutan and tritan axes) that was almost two times faster than controls, even in the absence of ON. These findings suggest that demyelinating diseases reduce sensitivity to color vision in both red-green and blue-yellow axes, implying impairment in both parvocellular and koniocellular visual pathways. The CCT is a useful tool to help characterize vision losses in MS, and the relationship between these losses and degree of optic nerve involvement.
Moura
Ana Laura de Araújo
AL
Depto. Psicologia Experimental, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil. almoura_oft@yahoo.com.br
Teixeira
Rosani Aparecida Antunes
RA
Oiwa
Nestor N
NN
Costa
Marcelo F
MF
Feitosa-Santana
Claudia
C
Callegaro
Dagoberto
D
Hamer
Russell D
RD
Ventura
Dora Fix
DF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D002138:Calibration; D002648:Child; D003118:Color Perception; D003119:Color Perception Tests; D003117:Color Vision Defects / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*