FLASH AND PATTERN-REVERSAL VISUAL-EVOKED POTENTIALS IN C57BL 6J AND B6CBAF1/J MICE/

Visual system responses (visual evoked potentials) to flash (FVEP) and pattern reversal (PRVEP) stimuli were recorded in mice. Two strains w ere used: black C57BL/6J mice and agouti B6CBAF1/J mice (first generat ion offspring of C57BL/6J females and CBA/J males.) Subjects were seda ted with ketamine and xylazine. Flash rate (FVEP) and stimulus spatial frequency and pattern reversal rate (PRVEP) were varied to determine optimum stimulus parameters. Normative FVEP and PRVEP data were collec ted from mice of both strains after determination of optimum parameter s. Five positive and four negative alternating peaks were routinely ob served in the FVEP, while three positive and three negative alternatin g peaks were seen with the PRVEP. Varying the flash rate, the pattem r eversal rate, and spatial frequency significantly affected nearly all amplitude and latency measures in the responses. Significant differenc es between strains were seen on some, but not all, latency and amplitu de measures when the stimulus parameters were varied.