MATURATION OF ELECTRORETINOGRAMS AND VISUAL-EVOKED POTENTIALS IN PRETERM INFANTS

Electroretinograms (ERGs) and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) to flash stimulation were recorded from 51 infants (gestational age 26 to 42 w eeks; post-conceptional age (PCA) 31 to 47 weeks) to give cross-sectio nal data on the maturation of these responses. Sequential recordings w ere taken from a separate group of 24 preterm infants (gestational age 28 to 33 weeks) to give longitudinal data. There was a significant de crease in ERG a-wave latency and increase in a-b amplitude with increa sing PCA in bath groups. For the VEPs there was a significant decrease in latency of the early negative component (NI) and the major positiv e component (Pr). Comparison between recordings made on preterm infant s with those from term infants at an equivalent PCA suggested faster m aturation of VEPs in the extra-uterine environment, but no difference in maturation of the ERG.