Factor structure and ammonia-related modulation of the human retinal oscillatory potentials.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate in man the factor structure of retinal oscillatory potentials (OPs) to full-field luminance stimulation (0.9-9.5 cd.s.m(-2)) and the correlation with the spontaneous fluctuations of plasma ammonia. METHODS: Six male healthy volunteers were studied. Five OP recordings and ammonia determinations (GLDH method) were obtained for each subject at 2 h interval during an 8 h experimental session. A standard factor analysis was applied on the OP latency (time from stimulus to peak) and amplitudes values. RESULTS: Two consecutive factors on latencies and two factors on amplitudes were identified, consistent with reported differences between the earlier and later OP waves. The model explained a large portion of the OP variance. Both factors on latencies and factor 1 on amplitudes were directly correlated to the stimulus intensity and the ammonia plasma concentration in the 15.8-39.5 micromol/l range. Factors 1 and 2 on latencies decreased and factor 1 on amplitude increased at increasing stimulus intensities. The latency factors decreased and the amplitude factor increased with increasing ammonia concentration. Factor 2 on amplitudes did not correlate with the stimulus intensity or ammonia concentration. CONCLUSIONS: The factor structure further supports the evidence of functional differences between early and late OP waves. The observed correlation conceivably reflects a role of ammonia in the modulation of retinal electrophysiology in physiological conditions and potentially accounts for spontaneous variability in otherwise controlled electrophysiological studies.

Adrenocorticotropin-related modulation of the human EEG and individual variability.

During a 6-h period in resting conditions, the blood concentrations at rest of cortisol, glucose and the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) varied spontaneously within physiological ranges in eight healthy male volunteers (24.5+/-1.7 years), without pulsatile changes, correlation among variables, or indications of stress response. The power of the 6.5-14.0 Hz physiological 'alpha' rhythm of the electroencephalogram (EEG) proved inverted-U correlated with the ACTH concentration (with maximum power at 12-14 pmol/l ACTH) but was independent from the extent of ACTH change or from cortisol/glucose concentrations. Two subgroups of subjects with low/high EEG power values could be separated depending on ACTH concentration, with estimated cut-off at 7-8 pmol/l. A direct ACTH modulation of brain electrophysiology or common factors (e.g. the corticotropin-releasing hormone) pacing both ACTH and EEG are suggested and may account for individual EEG differences.

Effects of physiological changes of serum glucose on the pattern-VEP of healthy volunteers.

The correlation between amplitude and latencies of the pattern-reversal VEP (1.7-3.6 50% contrast) and the serum glucose was studied in six healthy, male volunteers (21-26 yr.; mean: 23.2 +/- 1.6 yr.). Pattern-VEP and serum glucose were obtained at 2-h intervals during a 8-h experimental session. The effect of spatial frequency on VEP (increased latencies and amplitude with increasing spatial frequency) was removed statistically by computing the residuals from the nonlinear regression function vs. the spatial frequency. The residuals were then processed as stimulus-independent variables. At glucose serum concentrations within the physiological range of variability (55-103 mg/dl), the P100 latency increased (p < 0.04) with increasing serum glucose, with a 6.9% estimated latency difference between lower and higher glucose concentrations. This correlation depends mostly on the association of shorter and longer P100 latencies with glucose concentration values in the lower and upper portions of the normal concentration range respectively, but accounts for about 4% of the overall variance and may be accidental (therefore a potential bias in otherwise controlled VEP studies) or suggest functional relationships between glucose availability and vision.

Plasma concentration and CNS effects of Ca antagonists darodipine and nimodipine after single-dose oral administration to healthy volunteers.

The dynamics at the brain level (quantitative EEG), plasma kinetics and effects on blood pressure and heart rate of the Ca antagonists, darodipine (slow-release, 50- 200 mg) and nimodipine (30 mg), were compared in a double-blind cross-over study on healthy volunteers during a 9-hour period following single drug/placebo administration. Increased EEG total power was observed after 100 and 200 mg daropidine; a concomitant decrease of 14.5-32.0 Hz relative power was observed at 100 mg. The 50-mg dose proved ineffective. These effects were correlated with the darodipine plasma concentration only at the 100-mg dose, with indications of an active concentration interval at approximately 5-10 ng/ml; a reduction in diastolic blood pressure and increased heart rate proved to be linearly correlated with the drug plasma concentration throughout the entire concentration range. Comparable EEG effects were observed after nimodipine, but they did not correlate with the plasma concentration. Implications of the predictability of the brain effect from the drug plasma concentration and differential thresholds for the brain action and effects on (peripheral) circulation are suggested.