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A study of dark adaptation in ocular hypertensives.

Previous studies of dark adaptation in glaucoma have been hampered by lack of standardization and poor definition of clinical categories. A new method of testing has been used on ocular hypertensives. A modified Goldmann/Weekers adaptometer and an 11 degree centrally fixated test patch were used to obtain two dark adaptation threshold curves for each subject -- one for blue-green and one for yellow. Results indicate that ocular hypertensives with no field loss and normal fundi have impaired normal subjects. The differences in the thresholds for blue-green were especially noticeable with the blue-green showing the greater difference. The 2.8 minute difference in mean curve cross-over time between normal and ocular hypertensive was also found to be significant. It appears that ocular hypertensives have impaired rod and cone functions, as well as deficient rod-cone interaction.

Animals↗

Reduction of laser spot elongation in adaptive optics.

Adaptive optics systems measure the wave front to be corrected by use of a reference source, a star, or a laser beacon. Such laser guide stars are a few kilometers long, and when observed near the edges of large telescopes they appear elongated. This limits their utility significantly. However, with more sophisticated launch optics their shape and length can be controlled. We propose to string around the rim of a telescope a number of small telescopes that will add laser beams in the scattering medium to create a compact spot. The method could also be adapted for ocular adaptive optics.

Journal Article↗

Torsional and horizontal vestibular ocular reflex adaptation: three-dimensional eye movement analysis.

This study used visual-vestibular conflict to effect short-term torsional and horizontal adaptation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Seven normal subjects underwent sinusoidal whole-body rotation about the earth-vertical axis for 40 min (+/- 37 degrees/s, 0.3 Hz) while viewing a stationary radial pattern fixed to the chair (x0 viewing). During adaptation and testing in darkness, the head was pitched either up or down 35 degrees to excite both the horizontal and torsional VOR. The eyes were kept close to zero orbital elevation. Eye movements were recorded with a dual search coil in a three-field magnetic system. VOR gain was determined by averaging peak eye velocity from ten cycles of chair oscillation in complete darkness. The gain of the angular horizontal VOR (response to rotation about the head rostral-caudal axis) was significantly reduced after training in both head orientations. Angular torsional VOR gain (head rotation about the naso-occipital axis) was reduced in both head orientations, but this reached statistical significance only in the head down position. These results suggest that torsional and horizontal VOR gain adaptation, even when elicited together, may be subject to different influences depending upon head orientation. Differences between head up and down could be due to the relatively greater contribution of the horizontal semicircular canals with nose-down pitch. Alternatively, different VOR-adaptation processes could depend on the usual association of the head down posture to near viewing, in which case the torsional VOR is relatively suppressed.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Computational studies on acquisition and adaptation of ocular following responses based on cerebellar synaptic plasticity.

To investigate how cerebellar synaptic plasticity guides the acquisition and adaptation of ocular following response (OFR), a large-scale network model was developed. The model includes the cerebral medial superior temporal area (MST), Purkinje cells (P cells) of the ventral paraflocculus, the accessory optic and climbing fiber systems, the brain stem oculomotor network, and the oculomotor plant. The model reconstructed temporal profiles of both firing patterns of MST neurons and P cells and eye movements. Model MST neurons (n = 1,080) were set to be driven by retinal error and exhibited 12 preferred directions, 30 preferred velocities, and 3 firing waveforms. Correspondingly, each model P cell contained 1,080 excitatory synapses from granule cell axons (GCA) and 1,080 inhibitory synapses. P cells (n = 40) were classified into four groups by their laterality (hemisphere) and by preferred directions of their climbing fiber inputs (CF) (contralateral or upward). The brain stem neural circuit and the oculomotor plant were modeled on the work of Yamamoto et al. The initial synaptic weights on the P cells were set randomly. At the beginning, P cell simple spikes were not well modulated by visual motion, and the eye was moved only slightly by the accessory optic system. The synaptic weights were updated according to integral-differential equation models of physiologically demonstrated synaptic plasticity: long-term depression and long-term potentiation for GCA synapses and rebound potentiation for inhibitory synapses. We assumed that maximum plasticity was induced when GCA inputs preceded CF inputs by 200 ms. After more than 10,000 presentations of ramp-step visual motion, the strengths of both the excitatory and inhibitory synapses were modified. Subsequently, the simple spike responses became well developed, and ordinary OFRs were acquired. The preferred directions of simple spikes became the opposite of those of CFs. Although the model MST neurons were set to possess a wide variety of firing characteristics, the model P cells acquired only downward or ipsilateral preferred directions, high preferred velocities and stereotypical firing waveforms. Therefore the drastic transition of the neural representation from the population codes in the MST to the firing-rate codes of simple spikes were learned at the GCA-P cell synapses and inhibitory cells-P cell synapses. Furthermore, the model successfully reproduced the gain- and directional-adaptation of OFR, which was demonstrated by manipulating the velocity and direction of visual motion, respectively. When we assumed that synaptic plasticity could only occur if CF inputs preceded GCA inputs, the ordinary OFR were acquired but neither the gain-adaptation nor the directional adaptation could be reproduced.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Flexibility of vestibulo-ocular reflex adaptation to modified visual input in human.

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) serves to keep images relatively stable on the retina. To maintain appropriate performance and minimize image slip throughout life, VOR is subjected to long-term adaptive regulation by visual input. It has been reported that adaptive changes in VOR gain (eye velocity/head velocity) are evoked either by fitting subjects with magnifying, miniaturizing, or reversing spectacles during normal behavior, or by moving a large visual field in or out of phase relative to the subject's head movement. The changes in VOR gain are frequency selective. Here, we examine the extent of VOR gain flexibility by causing VORs of similar direction to undergo different behavioral gain changes. Nine healthy adults participated in the study, ranging in age from 24 to 38 years (mean: 26 years) and with no history of neurotological symptoms. All subjects were clinically normal according to a screening battery that included combined neurologic and otologic physical examinations. Horizontal and vertical eye positions were recorded by bitemporal DC-coupled electro-oculography (EOG). The subject sat in a rotating chair. The axis of rotation of the body was always earth-vertical, with the interaural axis crossing the axis of rotation of the chair. The head was pointed 20 degrees downwards in all experiments and stabilized in this position using a chin rest. The chair was surrounded by a half-cylindrical optokinetic screen (78 cm in diameter) placed in front of the subject, onto which random dot patterns were projected. Goggles were used to ensure that the subject was in complete darkness during both pre- and postadaptation periods. The chair was rotated sinusoidally at maximum amplitude of 30 degrees or 60 degrees : for 30 degrees the stimulation was at 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 Hz; for 60 degrees it was at 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 Hz. VOR adaptation was obtained by inducing a retinal slip velocity by short-term alteration of the visual input of the large field; this change was produced by a combination of sinusoidal head rotation and the random dot patterns. In each adaptation session, the sinusoidal head rotation was either at 0.1 or 0.3 Hz and the amplitude was 30 degrees. The random dot pattern was synchronized with sinusoidal head rotation in the same direction (x0 experiment) to make the retinal slip zero, and in the opposite direction to make the retinal slip twofold (x2 experiment). Therefore, a total of four adaptation protocols were tested. The subjects were asked to fixate on a single dot with the eyes straight-ahead in the x0 experiment, and follow it within random dot patterns in the x2 experiment. Each adaptation session lasted for 30 min. Two adaptation experiments were performed on each subject once per day. The averages of VOR gain and phase lag were calculated using Fourier analysis. Seven of the subjects who participated in the x2 adaptation experiment at 0.3 Hz and 30 degrees amplitude showed a steady increase of VOR gain within a couple of trials. One of the remaining two subjects showed a decrease in VOR gain in all the three trials, and the other subject showed a VOR gain increase in three trials and decrease in two trials. In the x2 adaptation experiment at 0.3 Hz and 30 degrees amplitude (peak velocity: 28 degrees /s), the percentage gain change ((post-pre)/pre) was 133% at the same stimulation and 100% at 0.4 Hz (peak velocity: 37 degrees /s). The gain change was 65% at 0.1 Hz and 60 degrees amplitude (peak velocity: 18 degrees /s), and 64% at 0.2 Hz and 60 degrees amplitude (peak velocity: 37 degrees /s). In the x1 adaptation experiment (30 degrees at 0.3 Hz), the percentage gain change was -62% under the same conditions, -50% at 0.1 Hz and 60 degrees amplitude, and -30% at 0.2 Hz and 60 degrees amplitude. No change of VOR gain was observed at other frequencies, and the subject was not adapted at 0.1 Hz and 30 degrees amplitude. The larger VOR gain increase in the x2 adaptation experiment for the faster head angular acceleration leads to the conclusion that the VOR gain mechanism can set vuite similar in terms of the head acceleration.

Adult↗

Short-term vestibulo-ocular reflex adaptation in humans. II. Error signals.

We oscillated humans sinusoidally at 0.2 Hz for 1 h, using various combinations of rotations of the head and visual surround to elicit short-term adaptation of the gain of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Before and after each period of training, the gain of the VOR was measured in darkness, in response to a position step of head rotation. A small foveal target served as well as a full-field stimulus at driving VOR adaptation. Oscillation of the visual surround alone produced a substantial increase in the VOR gain. When the visual scene was rotated in phase with the head but with a larger amplitude to produce a reversal of the VOR, the VOR gain increased if the movement of the visual scene was much greater than that of the head, otherwise the gain decreased. We interpreted these results with a model of VOR adaptation that uses as its "error signal" the combination of motion of images on the retina (retinal slip) and any additional slow-phase eye velocity, beyond that generated by the VOR through the vestibular nuclei, necessary to prevent such retinal slip during head rotation. The slow phase velocity generated by the VOR is derived from "inferred head rotation", a signal based on the discharge of neurons in the vestibular nuclei that receive both labyrinthine and visual (optokinetic) inputs. The amplitude and sign of the ratio of the "error signal" to "inferred head velocity" determined the amplitude and the direction (increase or decrease) of VOR gain adaptation.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

[Adaptive and non-adaptive reactions of vision in the Far North].

The paper deals with the study of specific features of ocular adaptive reactions under the conditions of the Far North. The author suggests that there should be 3 types of ocular adaptation in the North: (1) and (2) being at the individual level and (3) at the population level. Type 1 adaptation is usually observed within the first months of stay in the North. The ocular status of newcomers is characterized by lower hydrodynamic parameters: a tendency to intraocular vascular dystonia (the hypertensive type) is formed. Type 2 adaptation is generally seen after spending 10 years of stay in the North. Persistent physiological vascular reactions are formed (within the upper normal range). Organic disadaptive changes in microvasculature develop in a third of the new residents in the North. Type 3 hereditary long-term adaptation is observed in the indigenous residents of the North. The most optimum ratios of hemo- and hydrodynamic parameters along with definite changes in anatomic and functional indices form in them, which is reflected in the specific features of eye diseases.

Adaptation, Ocular↗

Vestibulo-ocular reflex adaptation in cats before and after depletion of norepinephrine.

The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) operates to stabilize the eyes in space during movements of the head. The system has been described as having a gain of approximately -1 since stimulation of the semi-circular canals brought about by head movements will have the effect of causing the eyes to rotate an equal amount in the opposite direction. Change in the gain of the VOR has been put forth as a model to study plasticity in the central nervous system. Since numerous studies have implicated norepinephrine (NE) in neuroplasticity and modifiability of neural circuits, we attempted to determine the effect of NE depletion (via 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) intra-cisternal injection) on the modifiability of the VOR. We have found that cats increase the gain of their VOR over a four hour period when rotated in the horizontal plane in a manner equal but opposite to the rotation of a surrounding opto-kinetic drum. The entire group of animals manifests a statistically significant decrement in their ability to increase VOR gain when central stores of norepinephrine are depleted via intra-cisternal injection of 6-OHDA. Individual animals manifest a wide variety of gain changes (0.98 to 1.62). We have found that there were two groups of cats--high and low gain modifiers. The greatest reduction in VOR gain increase after NE depletion was observed in the high gain modifiers. No difference was observed in the low gain modifiers. These same animals tested for VOR modification after amphetamine injection, produced similar results. Alertness during the VOR modification task, as estimated by saccadic eye movement counts, was unchanged after NE depletion NE levels, measured by HPLC-EC, after depletion were reduced to the greatest extent in the cerebellum. There was also a substantial reduction of NE in the visual cortex with less of a reduction in the brain stem.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Adaptation of ocular vergence to stimulation with large disparities.

Ocular vergence movements were measured with a scleral coil technique under stabilized viewing conditions for disparity. Crossed disparity steps, ranging between 0.25 and 10 deg, of three different targets were imposed. Ocular vergence responses consisted of converging movements with an initially constant velocity. This velocity increased with the magnitude of disparity up to about 4 deg and decreased for larger disparities. For disparities up to 2 deg the responses saturated at the limit of convergence. For larger disparities responses were transient, i.e. after large converging movements the angle of convergence gradually declined to about its initial value. For disparities larger than 5 deg amplitudes of the transient responses decreased and occasionally responses were completely absent. The transient character of responses was apparently due to adaptation of the vergence system to a specific disparity, since responses to different disparities could still be induced. Probing of the vergence system with two successive disparity steps of different magnitudes showed that adaptation was selective for a limited range of disparities around the adapting disparity stimulus. Stabilized disparity pulses with durations ranging from 100 to 800 ms induced ocular vergence movements following the time integral of disparity rather than momentary disparity. This indicated that the part of the vergence system sensitive to disparity has mainly integrative properties for large as well as small disparities. Stimulation with trains of shortlasting disparity pulses showed that adaptation also occurred under normal viewing conditions. They further revealed that adaptation is erased during a short period after each blink.

Adaptation, Ocular↗

Neuronal correlates of vestibulo-ocular reflex adaptation in the alert guinea-pig.

The spiking behaviour of 66 second-order vestibular neurons was studied in alert, chronically prepared guinea-pigs during the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Among the 66 studied neurons, seven were held long enough (> 1 h) to compare their spiking behaviour before and after a training procedure inducing a decrease in the gain of the VOR. When tested in darkness following adaptation, five of them showed a significant decrease of their sensitivity to head rotation. However, the resting discharge of these five neurons remained unchanged. This suggests that VOR adaptation is mediated not only by changes in synaptic efficacities but also by modifications in the spike generator which transforms synaptic inputs into a pattern of action potentials.

Action Potentials↗