Table 1
Routine ERG protocol
| Period | Time since start, min | Flash intensity, log cd·s·m-2 | N of flashes | Interval, sec. | Ganzfeld background, cd·s·m-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptation | 0 | 0.84 | 10 | 1 | 32 |
| 5 | 0.84 | 10 | 1 | 32 | |
| 10 | 0.84 | 10 | 1 | 32 | |
| 15 | 0.84 | 10 | 1 | 32 | |
| 20* | 0.84 | 10 | 1 | 32 | |
| Testing | 0.39 | 10 | 1 | 32 | |
| 0.10 | 10 | 1 | 32 | ||
| -0.21 | 10 | 1 | 32 | ||
| -0.61 | 10 | 1 | 32 | ||
| -0.90 | 10 | 1 | 32 | ||
| -1.10 | 10-20 | 1 | 32 | ||
| -1.45 | 10-20 | 1 | 32 |
* The response obtained at the 20th minute represents the end of the light adaptation and the beginning of the testing period
Figure 1
Raw ERG waveforms obtained from a male (18 y.o) before (A) and after (B) melatonin administration during adaptation and testing period.
Figure 2
Changes of the amplitude of ERG response after placebo and melatonin in 12 healthy subjects. *indicates significant difference (P < 0.05, Student's paired t-test).
Table 2
An immediate change of the ERG indices after melatonin intake
| period | b-wave amplitude | b-wave IT | a-wave IT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptation period | T0 | P = 0.0014 | NS | P = 0.046 |
| T5 | NS | NS | NS | |
| T10 | P = 0.0014 | P = 0.028 | P = 0.042 | |
| T15 | P = 0.003 | NS | NS | |
| Testing period | 0.84 | P = 0.011 | P = 0.0061 | P = 0.0036 |
| 0.39 | P = 0.011 | NS | NS | |
| 0.1 | P = 0.0008 | NS | NS | |
| -0.21 to -1.1 | NS | NS | NS | |
| Vmax | P = 0.0065 | P = 0.0003 | NS |
NS = non significant