title: The Shift of ERG B-Wave Induced by Hours' Dark Exposure in Rodents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dark adaptation can induce a rapid functional shift in the retina, and after that, the retinal function is believed to remain stable during the continuous dark exposure. However, we found that electroretinograms (ERG) b-waves gradually shifted during 24 hours' dark exposure in rodents. Detailed experiments were designed to explore this non-classical dark adaptation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vivo ERG recording in adult and developing rodents after light manipulations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We revealed a five-fold decrease in ERG b-waves in adult rats that were dark exposed for 24 hours. The ERG b-waves significantly increased within the first hour's dark exposure, but after that decreased continuously and finally attained steady state after 1 day's dark exposure. After 3 repetitive, 10 minutes' light exposure, the dark exposed rats fully recovered. This recovery effect was eye-specific, and light exposure to one eye could not restore the ERGs in the non-exposed eye. The prolonged dark exposure-induced functional shift was also reflected in the down-regulation on the amplitude of intensity-ERG response curve, but the dynamic range of the responsive light intensity remained largely stable. Furthermore, the ERG b-wave shifts occurred in and beyond classical critical period, and in both rats and mice. Importantly, when ERG b-wave greatly shifted, the amplitude of ERG a-wave did not change significantly after the prolonged dark exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This rapid age-independent ERG change demonstrates a generally existing functional shift in the retina, which is at the entry level of visual system.
authors: Vision Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Dake
authors: D
authors: Li
authors: Vision Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Fang
authors: Vision Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, The State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Hongbo
authors: H
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003623:Dark Adaptation; D003624:Darkness; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000528:radiation effects; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000528:radiation effects