The human electro-oculogram: interaction of light and alcohol.

  • 1 August 2000
    • journal article
    • Vol. 41  (9) , 2722-9
Abstract
To investigate the production of the voltage changes evoked in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) by light and alcohol and the interaction of these agents. The eye movement potential in humans was intermittently recorded to standard horizontal excursions for long periods during which either retinal illumination was altered or ethyl alcohol was administered by the oral, intragastric, or intravenous route. In other experiments, both light and alcohol were administered. Alcohol and light produced near identical corneofundal voltage changes (positive and then negative) over more than 40 minutes. Differences in timing between alcohol and light increases are explicable by the delays in alcohol absorption. Weak background light suppressed the effect of light steps, and low levels of background alcohol suppressed the response to subsequent doses. Backgrounds of one agent did not affect the voltage changes caused by the other. Minimal alcohol effects were seen after administration of 1 g orally or 270 mg intravenously--that is, doses that produced undetectable changes in breath alcohol. The semisaturating oral dose was approximately 20 mg/kg. Alcohol and light act through separate pathways to form a final common pathway inside the RPE cell that is responsible for triggering the timing of the slow oscillatory changes of EOG voltage. The sensitivity and duration with which alcohol affects the RPE are comparable with the effect of melatonin or dopamine, although only the former interacts with light similarly to alcohol. Transient modulation of the acetylcholine (Ach) neuronal receptor occurs at similar sensitivity, but all other known actions of alcohol require higher concentrations than this RPE action.

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