Cortical lesion projection zone activity in retinal disease patients is caused by object-specific feedback, not plasticity

AbstractThe human visual system masks the perceptual consequences of retinal or cortical lesion-induced scotomas by predicting what is missing from nearby regions of the visual field. To reveal the neural mechanisms underlying this remarkable capacity, known as predictive masking, we used fMRI and neural modeling to track changes in cortical population receptive fields (pRFs) and connectivity in response to the introduction of an artificial scotoma (AS). Consistent with predictive masking, we found that extrastriate areas increased their sampling of the V1 region outside the AS projection zone. Moreover, throughout the visual field and hierarchy, pRFs shifted their preferred position towards the AS border. A gain field model, centered at this border, accounted for these shifts, especially for extrastriate areas. This suggests that a system-wide reconfiguration of neural populations in response to a change in visual input is guided by extrastriate signals and underlies the predictive masking of scotomas.

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Preliminary Findings on the Use of Session Questionnaires to Improve Clinician-Client Alliance With Special Consideration to Clinical Education

Perspectives on Administration and Supervision ◽

10.1044/aas25.1.50 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 50-60

Author(s):

Anu Subramanian

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Clinical Education ◽

Clinical Decision Making ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Treatment Effectiveness ◽

Clinical Decision ◽

Added Value ◽

Therapeutic Outcomes ◽

Specific Feedback ◽

Stakeholder Perspective

ASHA's focus on evidence-based practice (EBP) includes the family/stakeholder perspective as an important tenet in clinical decision making. The common factors model for treatment effectiveness postulates that clinician-client alliance positively impacts therapeutic outcomes and may be the most important factor for success. One strategy to improve alliance between a client and clinician is the use of outcome questionnaires. In the current study, eight parents of toddlers who attended therapy sessions at a university clinic responded to a session outcome questionnaire that included both rating scale and descriptive questions. Six graduate students completed a survey that included a question about the utility of the questionnaire. Results indicated that the descriptive questions added value and information compared to using only the rating scale. The students were varied in their responses regarding the effectiveness of the questionnaire to increase their comfort with parents. Information gathered from the questionnaire allowed for specific feedback to graduate students to change behaviors and created opportunities for general discussions regarding effective therapy techniques. In addition, the responses generated conversations between the client and clinician focused on clients' concerns. Involving the stakeholder in identifying both effective and ineffective aspects of therapy has advantages for clinical practice and education.

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Focal sensory-motor status epilepticus in multiple sclerosis due to a new cortical lesion. An EEG–fMRI co-registration study

Yearbook of Neurology and Neurosurgery ◽

10.1016/j.yneu.2010.12.044 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 91

Author(s):

A. Minagar

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Status Epilepticus ◽

Cortical Lesion ◽

Sensory Motor

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Stem cells: a source for neuron repair in retinal disease

Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.3129/i07-047 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 442-446 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Valerie A. Wallace

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Retinal Disease

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Preventing blindness in retinal disease: ciliary neurotrophic factor intraocular implants

Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.3129/i07-039 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 399-402 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Ian M. MacDonald ◽

Yves Sauvé ◽

Paul A. Sieving

Keyword(s):

Neurotrophic Factor ◽

Retinal Disease ◽

Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor

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Diode Pumped Frequency Doubled ND:YAG Laser for the Treatment of Glaucoma and Retinal Disease

10.21236/ada409052 ◽

2002 ◽

Author(s):

Bolesh J. Skutnik

Keyword(s):

Nd:Yag Laser ◽

Retinal Disease ◽

Diode Pumped

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Alzheimer’s Disease and Retinal Degeneration: A Glimpse at Essential Trace Metals in Ocular Fluids and Tissues

Current Alzheimer Research ◽

10.2174/1567205016666191023114015 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. 1073-1083 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alessandra Micera ◽

Luca Bruno ◽

Andrea Cacciamani ◽

Mauro Rongioletti ◽

Rosanna Squitti

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Trace Metals ◽

Late Onset ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Pathological Condition ◽

Retinal Disease ◽

Cellular Aging ◽

Research Strategies ◽

Aged People

Background: Life expectancy is increasing all over the world, although neurodegenerative disorders might drastically affect the individual activity of aged people. Of those, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is one of the most social-cost age-linked diseases of industrialized countries. To date, retinal diseases seem to be more common in the developing world and characterize principally aged people. Agerelated Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a late-onset, neurodegenerative retinal disease that shares several clinical and pathological features with AD, including stress stimuli such as oxidative stress, inflammation and amyloid formations. Method: In both diseases, the detrimental intra/extra-cellular deposits have many similarities. Aging, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, arteriosclerosis and smoking are risk factors to develop both diseases. Cellular aging routes have similar organelle and signaling patterns in retina and brain. The possibility to find out new research strategies represent a step forward to disclose potential treatment for both of them. Essential trace metals play critical roles in both physiological and pathological condition of retina, optic nerve and brain, by influencing metabolic processes chiefly upon complex multifactorial pathogenesis. Conclusion: Hence, this review addresses current knowledge about some up-to-date investigated essential trace metals associated with AD and AMD. Changes in the levels of systemic and ocular fluid essential metals might reflect the early stages of AMD, possibly disclosing neurodegeneration pathways shared with AD, which might open to potential early detection.

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Identification of candidate genes and pathways in retinopathy of prematurity by whole exome sequencing of preterm infants enriched in phenotypic extremes

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83552-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sang Jin Kim ◽

◽

Kemal Sonmez ◽

Ryan Swan ◽

J. Peter Campbell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Exome Sequencing ◽

Whole Exome Sequencing ◽

Preterm Infants ◽

Premature Infants ◽

Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Enrichment Analysis ◽

Retinal Disease ◽

Gene Set Enrichment Analysis ◽

Whole Exome

AbstractRetinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative retinal disease affecting premature infants. In addition to prematurity itself and oxygen treatment, genetic factors have been suggested to predispose to ROP. We aimed to identify potentially pathogenic genes and biological pathways associated with ROP by analyzing variants from whole exome sequencing (WES) data of premature infants. As part of a multicenter ROP cohort study, 100 non-Hispanic Caucasian preterm infants enriched in phenotypic extremes were subjected to WES. Gene-based testing was done on coding nonsynonymous variants. Genes showing enrichment of qualifying variants in severe ROP compared to mild or no ROP from gene-based tests with adjustment for gestational age and birth weight were selected for gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Mean BW of included infants with pre-plus, type-1 or type 2 ROP including aggressive posterior ROP (n = 58) and mild or no ROP (n = 42) were 744 g and 995 g, respectively. No single genes reached genome-wide significance that could account for a severe phenotype. GSEA identified two significantly associated pathways (smooth endoplasmic reticulum and vitamin C metabolism) after correction for multiple tests. WES of premature infants revealed potential pathways that may be important in the pathogenesis of ROP and in further genetic studies.

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Retinitis pigmentosa is associated with shifts in the gut microbiome

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-86052-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Oksana Kutsyr ◽

Lucía Maestre-Carballa ◽

Mónica Lluesma-Gomez ◽

Manuel Martinez-Garcia ◽

Nicolás Cuenca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Retinitis Pigmentosa ◽

Gut Microbiome ◽

Functional Decline ◽

Retinal Disease ◽

Photoreceptor Cells ◽

Amplicon Sequencing ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Sequencing Data ◽

Alpha And Beta Diversity ◽

Potential Biomarker

AbstractThe gut microbiome is known to influence the pathogenesis and progression of neurodegenerative diseases. However, there has been relatively little focus upon the implications of the gut microbiome in retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Here, we investigated changes in gut microbiome composition linked to RP, by assessing both retinal degeneration and gut microbiome in the rd10 mouse model of RP as compared to control C57BL/6J mice. In rd10 mice, retinal responsiveness to flashlight stimuli and visual acuity were deteriorated with respect to observed in age-matched control mice. This functional decline in dystrophic animals was accompanied by photoreceptor loss, morphologic anomalies in photoreceptor cells and retinal reactive gliosis. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing data showed a microbial gut dysbiosis with differences in alpha and beta diversity at the genera, species and amplicon sequence variants (ASV) levels between dystrophic and control mice. Remarkably, four fairly common ASV in healthy gut microbiome belonging to Rikenella spp., Muribaculaceace spp., Prevotellaceae UCG-001 spp., and Bacilli spp. were absent in the gut microbiome of retinal disease mice, while Bacteroides caecimuris was significantly enriched in mice with RP. The results indicate that retinal degenerative changes in RP are linked to relevant gut microbiome changes. The findings suggest that microbiome shifting could be considered as potential biomarker and therapeutic target for retinal degenerative diseases.

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