Visual electrophysiology to achromatic and chromatic stimuli in premature and full term infants

Abstract

We have previously reported on the development of black/white pattern reversal VEPs in premature babies of more than 30 weeks post-menstrual age (PMA). Unlike the flash VEP, the pattern reversal VEP shows a similar morphology to that of the full term infant and the major positive component (P1) decreased in latency with increasing PMA. The N1 and N2 components were more likely to be present with increasing maturity. In our present study we are examining the development of the transient chromatic pattern VEP. In order to produce a purely chromatic stimulus it is necessary to remove luminance cues. Based on forced choice preferential looking we developed a method of determining the isoluminant point for infants. Preference was tested for a flickering sinusoidal red and green grating over the uniform field. As sensitivity for chromatic flicker is much poorer than for luminance flicker, sensitivity is expected to be least when the residual luminance variation in the stimulus is at a minimum. The red/green luminance ratio at which this occurs represents the isoluminant point. From this method we found the subjective isoluminant point for infants of 2–3 months of age to be very close to the objective measure of isoluminance. Using this information, pattern reversal VEPs to 20 chromatic red/green and achromatic checks were studied and it would appear that pattern reversal VEPs cannot be obtained to isoluminant stimuli before 7 weeks chronological age.