VER AND ERG TECHNIQUES FOR REHABILITATION AND DIAGNOSTIC

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This research plan includes two projects based on the same methodology: 1) Oculo-Encepalographic Communication (OEC). This project will establish a new method of communication and environmental contorl by means of the visual evoked potential. Information is communicated by visual fixation of one out of a number of flickering visual targets. The selected target is identified from the observer's evoked response which is derived from a pair of scalp electrodes. A transportable experimental system has been constructed for evaluation of the concept with communicatively disable persons. Tests revealed possibilities of significant improvement in preformance through additional research not included in the orginal proposal. We propose to study: a. Use of less conspicuous motion stimuli for target modulation. b. Effects of light adaptation on various response componets. c. Improvement of performance through implantation of electrodes (animal study). 2) Objective perimetry and light adaptation tests for medical diagnostics. Preliminary experiments have shown that the multi-input systems analysis techniques developed for the OEC project can be used for ERG and VER perimetry. Such objective perimetry techniques are desirable clinical tools which have been sought in vain by many investigators. Bases on the first successful ERG and VER perimetry data, a research plan is proposed which will result in viable clinical procedures. It includes: a) Optimization of stimulus parameters for extraction of specific local response components. b) Separate measure of spatial distributions of rod and cone responses. c) Evaluation of the diagnostic potential of the techniques with selected patients. Psychophysically measured glare recovery is a power clinical stress test. Presently, there is no objective test available for the clinic. A modified version of the OEC systems analysis technique can be used to pursue the time course of dark adaptation and glare recovery processes in the ERG and VER. Its potential as an objective diagnostic tool will be investigated.