A simple integrated system for electrophysiologic recordings in animals

• Published in: Documenta ophthalmologica Vol. 119; no. 1; pp. 9 - 12
• Main Authors: Johnson, Mary A., Slater, Bernard J., Miller, Neil R., Bernstein, Steven L., Flower, Robert W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.08.2009; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Laboratory; Biological and medical sciences; Data Display; Electroretinography - instrumentation; Equipment Design; Evoked Potentials, Visual; Fundus Oculi; Lighting - instrumentation; Macaca mulatta; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Ophthalmology; Organic light-emitting diode; Fundus camera; Pattern visual evoked potential; Pattern electroretinogram; Electroretinography; Visual evoked potential; System; Light emitting diode; Fundus of the eye; Electrodiagnosis; Animal; Recording; Ophthalmology
• ISSN: 0012-4486; 1573-2622; 1573-2622
• DOI: 10.1007/s10633-008-9163-4

This technical note describes a modification to a fundus camera that permits simultaneous recording of pattern electroretinograms (pERGs) and pattern visual evoked potentials (pVEPs). The modification consists of placing an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) in the split-viewer pathway of a fundus camera, in a plane conjugate to the subject’s pupil. In this way, a focused image of the OLED can be delivered to a precisely known location on the retina. The advantage of using an OLED is that it can achieve high luminance while maintaining high contrast, and with minimal degradation over time. This system is particularly useful for animal studies, especially when precise retinal positioning is required.