Retrospective Analysis of Visual Evoked Potentials Findings in Acute Retrobulbar Neuritis

Czech version

Authors: J. Szanyi ¹; M. Kuba ¹; Z. Kubová ¹; J. Kremláček ¹; J. Langrová ¹; N. Jirásková ²
Authors‘ workplace: Ústav patologické fyziologie LF UK v Hradci Králové ¹; Oční klinika LF UK a FN Hradec Králové ²
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2008; 71/104(3): 317-323
Category: Original Paper

Overview

Retrospective analysis of pattern-reversal VEPs (R-VEPs) and motion-onset VEPs (M-VEPs) was performed in 20 patients with first attack of acute Optic Neuritis (ON) subsequently monitored for 36–135 months during which Multiple Sclerosis (MS) developed and was confirmed in 10 of them. It did not develop in the other 10 during the term of the study. The groups with MS and without MS did not differ significantly in the extent of pathological VEP findings: in MS patients, R-VEPs were abnormal in 100 % and M-VEPs in 80 % and the non-MS patients exhibited pathology in 80 % of R-VEPs and in 90 % of M-VEPs. A higher risk of MS after unilateral optic neuritis was found in cases displaying pathological R-VEPs also in the non-affected eye (67 % of MS patients vs 22 % of non-MS patients). Although the inclusion of M-VEPs did not increase VEP examination sensitivity in ON patients, their use improves diagnostic reliability and enables better monitoring of the parvocellular/magnocellular system and ventral/dorsal stream involvement of the visual pathway.

Key words:
visual evoked potentials (VEPs) – optic neuritis (ON) – multiple sclerosis (MS) – magnocellular system – parvocellular system

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