SCIENTIFIC REPORT

Congenital stationary night blindness and a "Schubert-Bornschein" type electrophysiology in a family with dominant inheritance

S A Kabanarou^1,2, G E Holder¹, F W Fitzke^1,2, A C Bird^1,2 and A R Webster^1,2

¹ Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK
² Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Mr A R Webster
University Lecturer, Institute of Ophthalmology, Department of Molecular Genetics, 11–43 Bath Street, London EC1V 9EL, UK; andrew.webster{at}ucl.ac.uk

Background/aims: To present the clinical, psychophysical, and electrophysiological characteristics of a family with dominantly inherited congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB).

Methods: Five affected family members from three generations were ascertained. Four affected individuals underwent ophthalmic examination and electrodiagnostic investigations. Three affected individuals also underwent scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and psychophysical testing.

Results: Affected individuals reported night blindness from an early age. Visual acuities were normal. Fundal appearances were normal apart from one older patient showing areas of peripheral chorioretinal atrophy. Autofluorescence images showed no gross abnormality. International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standard electroretinography (ERG) showed undetectable rod specific responses and electronegative maximal responses, but normal ISCEV cone responses. Additional S-cone specific ERG recordings were of reduced amplitude in all patients studied. There was no apparent rod component to the dark adaptation curve. Central 30° thresholds were normal under photopic conditions but showed increased thresholds under scotopic conditons for both red and blue stimuli.

Conclusion: Results from investigation of this family are consistent with an impairment of rod photoreceptor signalling. The ERG findings suggest an abnormality occurring after phototransduction with rod and S-cone pathway involvement. These findings differ from those rare families reported previously with dominant CSNB.

Abbreviations: CSNB, congenital stationary night blindness; EOG, electro-oculography; ERG, electroretinography; ISCEV, International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision; PERG, pattern electroretinogram; SLO, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy

Keywords: congenital stationary night blindness

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