Electrophysiological estimates of visual sensitivity in albino and pigmented mice.

We have estimated the absolute threshold of congenic albino and pigmented mice (C57) using ERG, pupillary light reflex, and VEP. We are unable to detect strain differences using ERGs or VEPs, but pupillary thresholds appear to be different. In addition, as we have previously reported for rats, VEP thresholds are considerably lower than the ERG b-wave thresholds. The VEP thresholds agree with behavioral data from pigmented mice made by others. The mouse VEP thresholds are close to the VEP thresholds in rats and the psychophysical thresholds of two human observers.