In:
Visual Neuroscience, Cambridge University Press (CUP), Vol. 20, No. 5 ( 2003-09), p. 543-555
Abstract:
Blinds with receptor degeneration can perceive localized phosphenes
in response to focal electrical epi-retinal stimuli. To avoid extensive basic stimulation tests in human patients, we developed techniques for
estimating visual spatial resolution in anesthetized cats. Electrical epi-retinal and visual stimulation was combined with multiple-site
retinal and cortical microelectrode recordings of local field potentials (LFPs) from visual areas 17 and 18. Classical visual
receptive fields were characterized for retinal and cortical recording sites using multifocal visual stimulation combined with
stimulus–response cross-correlation. We estimated visual spatial resolution from the size of the cortical activation profiles in
response to single focal stimuli. For comparison, we determined activation profiles in response to visual stimuli at the same retinal
location. Activation profiles were single peaked or multipeaked. In multipeaked profiles, the peak locations coincided with discontinuities
in cortical retinotopy. Location and width of cortical activation profiles were distinct for retinal stimulation sites. On average, the
activation profiles had a size of 1.28 ± 0.03 mm cortex. Projected to visual space this corresponds to a spatial resolution of
1.49 deg ± 0.04 deg visual angle. Best resolutions were 0.5 deg at low and medium stimulation currents corresponding to a visus of
1/30. Higher stimulation currents caused lower spatial, but higher temporal resolution (up to 70 stimuli/s). In analogy to the
receptive-field concept in visual space, we defined and characterized electrical receptive fields. As our estimates of visual resolutions are
conservative, we assume that a visual prosthesis will induce phosphenes at least at this resolution. This would enable visuomotor coordinations
and object recognition in many indoor and outdoor situations of daily life.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0952-5238
,
1469-8714
DOI:
10.1017/S0952523803205083
Language:
English
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publication Date:
2003
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1489922-X
SSG:
12
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