In the previous report, we described the cause of the corneo-retinal potential increase after the optokinetic pattern test. We speculated that the rise of retinal activity in response to optokinetic stimulation leads to an increase of the potential. The present study is intended to confirm this speculation.
Two optokinetic stimulus conditions were employed in this experiment. First, subjects fix their eyes on the stationary target during optokinetic stimulation without following black stripes. This induces mainly retinal stimulation (condition A). Next, subjects follow black moving stripes in the usual optokinetic test (condition B), which cause mainly foveal stimulation during low drum steed. Stimulus speeds of 30, 45, 60, and 90°/sec constant angular velocities were used.
The corneo-retinal potential increased in condition A after all four stimulus speeds. In condition B, however, the potential did not increase after 30°/sec constant angular velocity stimulation.
These data support the idea that the increase of corneoretinal potential after optokinetic stimulation is due to the rise of retinal cell activity.
