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Electroretinograms



   Objective measures of retinal function are affected by dietary supplies and tissue levels of n-3 essential fatty acids

Electroretinograms

    Electroretinographic amplitudes in guinea pigs showed statistically significant losses in b- and a-waves after 6 and 16 weeks of dietary n-3 deficiency, respectively. The response amplitude to 30-Hz flicker was reduced 42% after 16 weeks. Retinal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels of animals maintained on the safflower oil diet for 16 weeks were 42% of levels in age-matched control subjects. There were significant losses in maximum response amplitudes (R(mPIII) and R(mPII)), although the major effect was a reduction in sensitivity of the receptoral response. Complete functional recovery was observed only in animals repleted for 10 weeks. Functional deficits in receptoral and postreceptoral subcomponents (PIII and PII) of the electroretinogram showed a correlation with age and retinal DHA level. Weisinger HS, Vingrys AJ, Bui BV, Sinclair AJ. Effects of dietary n-3 fatty acid deficiency and repletion in the guinea pig retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 1999 Feb; 40(2): 327-338. More on Electroretinograms

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