Modifications of the pattern-evoked potential (PEP) in relation to the stimulated part of the visual field (clues for the most probable origin of each component)

Abstract

A spatio-temporal analysis of the successive and simultaneous components of the pattern-evoked potential recorded on the scalp, and of their modifications according to which part of the visual field is stimulated, was carried out with 20 'normal' subjects, in order to shed some light on their most probable sites of origin. The stimulus consisted in the onset of a 20 degree checkerboard presented in runs of 75 stimuli each. Its duration was 750 msec and its frequency of occurrence was random (about 1 every 1500 msec). Twelve different visual field situations were recorded: whole field, half fields and quadrants and stimuli limited to the fovea, to the macula and to extramacular areas. Data were collected from 9 active electrodes (in line, forming a cross montage), and various reference electrodes (ear lobes, Fz, non-cephalic). Eye movements were simultaneously recorded. The electrophysiological data were digitized on line and processed by computer in the form of averaged spatio-temporal maps. In addition to the classical posterior components which peak on the midline (N 60, N 140, and P 200) or less than 4 cm away on both sides (P 90), a late negative wave (LN 210) was differentiated which peaked lower than the inion and more than 8 cm away from the midline on both hemispheres. The large inter-individual variability of the spatio-temporal organization of these components under the same conditions, as well as its very good intra-individual reproducibility, were emphasized. Interpreted on the basis of a simple dipole sheet model of the visual cortex, the changes observed for each component in the 12 experimental situations led to the following suggestions: only the first component N 60 could reflect the activity of the part of area 17 emerging on the convexity, whereas P 90 (Jeffreys' CI) is more likely to originate in area 19 and the midline components N 140 and P 200 in area 18. The topography and reactivity of LN 210 could fit with the hypothesis that it reflects activity of the infero-temporal cortex.