Resting state electroretinography: An innovative approach to intrinsic retinal function monitoring

Abstract

The electroretinogram (ERG) represents the biopotential evoked by the retina in response to a light stimulus. The flash evoked ERG (fERG) is the ERG modality most frequently used clinically to diagnose and monitor retinal disorders. We hereby present a new method to record spontaneous retinal activity, without the use of a flash stimulus, that we named the resting-state ERG (rsERG). The recordings were done in normal subjects under light- and dark-adaptation and with different background light conditions (i.e., variations of wavelength and intensity). Additionally, rsERG recordings were obtained in five patients with retinopathies. The signals were subsequently analyzed in the frequency domain, extracting both periodic (i.e., frequency peaks) and aperiodic (i.e., background trend) components of the signal. The later was further assessed through a multifractal analysis using Wavelet Leaders. Results show that, irrespective of the recording conditions used, the rsERG always includes the same 90 Hz component; a frequency component also present in the fERG response, suggesting a retinally-intrinsic origin. However, in addition, the fERGs also includes a low-frequency component which is absent in the rsERGs, a finding supporting a retinally-induced origin. Comparing rsERGs with fERGs in selected patients with various retinal disorders indicates that the two retinal signals are not always similarly affected (either as a result of underlying retinal pathology or otherwise), suggesting an added value in the assessment of retinal function. Thus, the rsERG could have a similar role in clinical visual electrophysiology as that of the resting-state EEG in neurology namely, to quantify changes in spontaneous activity that result from a given disease processes.

Prevention of Inflammation, Neovascularization, and Retinal Dysfunction by Kinin B1 Receptor Antagonism in a Mouse Model of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

“…Hence, we investigated the beneficial impact of R-954 in monitoring retinal functional changes using scotopic ERG recordings. ERG is considered an effective strategy for the monitoring of function of different cell populations in the retina including photoreceptors and have been used to study changes in retinal function associated with the development and progression of neovascular AMD [39,40]. The results display a major decrease in the a-wave amplitude of the CNV mice whereas R-954 treated mice revealed normal ERG value, suggesting compromised photoreceptor cell function due to CNV development and inflammation can be prevented by B 1 R blockade.…”

Review of various feature extraction approaches for ERG signal analysis: Advantages and drawbacks

“…Quantifying these features provides valuable insights into retinal health, facilitating early diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognosis evaluation. This paper aims to comprehensively review feature extraction approaches for ERG signal analysis, focusing on their advantages and drawbacks [5][6][7][8]. The review aims to assist researchers and clinicians in selecting appropriate methods for their specific needs.…”