Oscillations of Potential in the Electroretinogram of the Lobster

The electroretinogram (ERG) evoked in the lobster by a short flash of light consists of a highly damped, slow oscillation of potential, triggered apparently by a single excitatory process. Near the threshold, only one wave may be evident; but as the intensity of stimulus rises, a prior wave appears, and grows so much more rapidly as to become dominant. Simultaneously third and later waves appear, so that at high intensities the response may include five to seven waves. Dark adaptation favors the second and later waves relative to the first; light adaptation tends to suppress them. On turning on a steady light the oscillations are superimposed on the early stages of development of a maintained, steady-state potential (on-response). Turning off the light causes a rapid fluctuation of potential followed by a similarly damped slow oscillation (off-response). These phenomena resemble in part oscillations recently observed in the b wave of the ERG of many vertebrates including man.