Spatial Selectivity of Pattern Electroretinogram Components

AbstractIn this study, we investigated the correlation between pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) parameters for diagnosis in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Forty-nine normal individuals (49 eyes) and 60 patients with NTG (60 eyes) were enrolled. OCTA and PERG parameters, such as macular vessel density (VD) and the amplitude of N35–P50 and P50–N95, were measured. Correlation analyses were performed between the parameters, and the area under the curve (AUC) was used to identify their diagnostic ability for NTG. Macular VD and the amplitude of N35–P50 and P50–N95 showed significant differences between the normal individuals and patients with NTG. Correlation between P50 and N95 amplitude and macular VD was significant in the normal and early glaucoma groups. Macular VD showed a higher AUC value (0.730) than that of P50–N95 amplitude (0.645) in the early glaucoma group. In the moderate to severe glaucoma group, the AUC value of the amplitude of P50–N95 (0.907) was higher than that of macular VD (0.876). The results indicate that PERG and OCTA parameters may identify glaucoma in its early stage, based on the severity of glaucomatous damage in patients with NTG.

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Decision-related feedback in visual cortex lacks spatial selectivity

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-24629-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Katrina R. Quinn ◽

Lenka Seillier ◽

Daniel A. Butts ◽

Hendrikje Nienborg

Keyword(s):

Contextual Information ◽

Relevant Information ◽

Common Mechanism ◽

Spatial Selectivity ◽

Population Responses ◽

Stimulus Choice ◽

Visual Areas ◽

Computational Work ◽

Feature Based ◽

The Brain

AbstractFeedback in the brain is thought to convey contextual information that underlies our flexibility to perform different tasks. Empirical and computational work on the visual system suggests this is achieved by targeting task-relevant neuronal subpopulations. We combine two tasks, each resulting in selective modulation by feedback, to test whether the feedback reflected the combination of both selectivities. We used visual feature-discrimination specified at one of two possible locations and uncoupled the decision formation from motor plans to report it, while recording in macaque mid-level visual areas. Here we show that although the behavior is spatially selective, using only task-relevant information, modulation by decision-related feedback is spatially unselective. Population responses reveal similar stimulus-choice alignments irrespective of stimulus relevance. The results suggest a common mechanism across tasks, independent of the spatial selectivity these tasks demand. This may reflect biological constraints and facilitate generalization across tasks. Our findings also support a previously hypothesized link between feature-based attention and decision-related activity.

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Blue light blind-spot stimulation upregulates b-wave and pattern ERG activity in myopes

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-88459-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ana Amorim-de-Sousa ◽

Tim Schilling ◽

Paulo Fernandes ◽

Yeshwanth Seshadri ◽

Hamed Bahmani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optic Nerve ◽

Electrical Activity ◽

Blue Light ◽

Optic Nerve Head ◽

Plexiform Layer ◽

Pattern Electroretinogram ◽

Blind Spot ◽

Inner Plexiform Layer ◽

Pattern Erg ◽

Myopia Progression

AbstractUpregulation of retinal dopaminergic activity may be a target treatment for myopia progression. This study aimed to explore the viability of inducing changes in retinal electrical activity with short-wavelength light targeting melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) passing through the optic nerve head. Fifteen healthy non-myopic or myopic young adults were recruited and underwent stimulation with blue light using a virtual reality headset device. Amplitudes and implicit times from photopic 3.0 b-wave and pattern electroretinogram (PERG) were measured at baseline and 10 and 20 min after stimulation. Relative changes were compared between non-myopes and myopes. The ERG b-wave amplitude was significantly larger 20 min after blind-spot stimulation compared to baseline (p < 0.001) and 10 min (p < 0.001) post-stimulation. PERG amplitude P50-N95 also showed a significant main effect for ‘Time after stimulation’ (p < 0.050). Implicit times showed no differences following blind-spot stimulation. PERG and b-wave changes after blind-spot stimulation were stronger in myopes than non-myopes. It is possible to induce significant changes in retinal electrical activity by stimulating ipRGCs axons at the optic nerve head with blue light. The results suggest that the changes in retinal electrical activity are located at the inner plexiform layer and are likely to involve the dopaminergic system.

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