The electroretinogram (ERG) oscillatory potential (OP) is a
high-frequency, low-amplitude potential that is superimposed on the
rising phase of the b-wave. It provides noninvasive evaluation
of inner retina function in vivo and is a useful tool in basic
research as well as in the clinic. While the OP is widely believed to
be generated mainly by activity of the inner retina, the exact
underlying neural mechanisms are not well understood. We have
investigated the retinal mechanisms that underlie OP generation in
Dutch-belted rabbits. The OP was isolated by band-filtering
(100–1000 Hz) ERG signals. We used pharmacological agents that
block specific transmitter receptors or voltage-gated channels in order
to examine contributions of various retinal mechanisms to OP
generation. Our results show that the OP elicited by a bright brief
flash can be classified into early, intermediate, and
late subgroups that are likely generated mainly by
photoreceptors, action-potential-independent, and
action-potential-dependent mechanisms in the ON pathway of the inner
retina, respectively. ON bipolar cells themselves make only a small
direct contribution to OP generation, as do horizontal cells
and neurons in the OFF pathway.