Photopic ERG components in retinitis pigmentosa.

The persistence of a residual flicker electroretinogram 20 Hz response in many cases of retinitis pigmentosa, when the Oscillatory Potentials (OPs) were no longer recordable, led the authors to an investigation by Fourier analysis. The study was carried out in 33 patients affected by different hereditary forms of retinitis pigmentosa revealing recordable 20 Hz flash ERG responses. We applied the Fourier analysis to this ERG response and compared the weight percentage of the first two components to the OP added amplitude. The analysis showed that the 20 Hz flash ERG response contains only the first harmonic in patients with no recordable OPs and both harmonics in patients with recordable OPs. This relationship between OPs and 20 Hz second component, that is possibly related to the activity of inner retina as well as the OPs, can demonstrate an alteration of the inner retina which evolves with distinct electrophysiological features from the ERG photoreceptor impairment.