Biology subjects

Thieme, H.

Publications and source records attributed to Thieme, H..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2020

Functional dynamics of de-afferented early visual cortex in glaucoma

fMRI studies in macular degeneration (MD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) demonstrated that responses in the lesion projection zones (LPZ) of V1 are task related, indicating significant limits of bottom-up visual system plasticity in MD and RP. In advanced glaucoma (GL), a prevalent eye disease and leading cause of blindness, the scope of visual system plasticity is currently unknown. We performed 3T fMRI in patients with extensive visual field defects due to GL (n=5), RP (n=2) and healthy controls (n=7; with simulated defects). Participants viewed contrast patterns drifting in 8 directions alternating with uniform gray and performed 3 tasks: (1) passive viewing (PV), (2) one-back task (OBT) and (3) fixation-dot task (FDT). During PV, they passively viewed the stimulus with central fixation, during OBT they reported the succession of the same two motion directions, and during FDT a change in the fixation color. In GL, LPZ responses of the early visual cortex (V1, V2 and V3) shifted from negative during PV to positive for OBT [p (corrected): V1(0.006); V2(0.04); V3(0.008)], while they were negative in the controls simulated LPZ for all stimulation conditions. For RP a similar pattern as for GL was observed. Consequently, activity in the de-afferented visual cortex in glaucoma is, similar to MD and RP, task-related. In conclusion, the lack of bottom-up plasticity appears to be a general feature of the human visual system. These insights are of importance for the development of treatment and rehabilitation schemes in glaucoma. HighlightsO_LIFunctional dynamics of early visual cortex LPZ depend on task demands in glaucoma C_LIO_LIBrain activity in deprived visual cortex suggests absence of large-scale remapping C_LIO_LILimited scope of bottom-up plasticity is a general feature of human visual system C_LIO_LIVisual system stability and plasticity is of relevance for therapeutic advances C_LI

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Interaction of intraocular pressure and ganglion cell function in open angle glaucoma

PurposeTo test the feasibility of simultaneous steady-state pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements with an IOP sensor and to test a model for IOP manipulation during lateral decubitus positioning (LDP) and its impact on the PERG. DesignA prospective, observational study. Methods15 healthy controls and 15 treated glaucoma patients participated in the study. 8 patients had an intraocular IOP sensor (eyemate-IO(R), Implandata Ophthalmic Products GmbH) in the right eye (GLAIMP) and 7 had no sensor and with glaucoma in the left eye. (1) We tested the feasibility of simultaneous IOP and PERG recordings by comparing PERGs with and without simultaneous IOP-read out in GLAIMP. (2) All participants were positioned in the following order: sitting1 (S1), right LDP (LDR), sitting2 (S2), left LDP (LDL) and sitting3 (S3). For each position, PERG amplitudes and IOP were determined with rebound tonometry (Icare(R) TA01i) in all participants without the IOP sensor. ResultsElectromagnetic intrusions of IOP sensor readout onto steady-state PERG-recordings had, due to different frequency ranges, no relevant effect on PERG amplitudes. IOP and PERG measures were affected by LDP, e.g., IOP was increased during LDR vs S1 in the lower eyes of GLAIMP and controls (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) and PERG amplitude was decreased (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). ConclusionsDuring LDP, IOP and PERG measurements changed more in the lower eye. IOP changes induced by LDP may be a model for studying the interaction of IOP and ganglion cell function.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2019

Population receptive field and connectivity properties of the early visual cortex in human albinism

In albinism, the pathological decussation of the temporal retinal afferents at the optic chiasm leads to superimposed representations of opposing hemifields in the visual cortex. Here, we assessed the equivalence of the two representations and the cortico-cortical connectivity of the early visual areas. Applying fMRI-based population receptive field (pRF)-mapping (both hemifield and bilateral mapping) and connective field (CF)-modeling, we investigated the early visual cortex in 6 albinotic participants and 4 controls. In albinism, superimposed retinotopic representations of the contra- and ipsilateral visual hemifield were observed on the hemisphere contralateral to the stimulated eye. This was confirmed by the observation of bilateral pRFs during bilateral mapping. Hemifield mapping revealed similar pRF-sizes for both hemifield representations throughout V1 to V3. The typical increase of V1-sampling extent for V3 compared to V2 was not found for the albinotic participants. The similarity of the pRF-sizes for opposing visual hemifield representations highlights the equivalence of the two maps in the early visual cortex. The altered V1-sampling extent in V3 indicates the adaptation of cortico-cortical connections to the abnormal input of the visual cortex. These findings thus suggest that conservative developmental mechanisms are complemented by alterations of the extrastriate cortico-cortical connectivity.\n\nHighlightsO_LIpRF mapping confirms cortical overlay of opposing visual hemifields in albinism.\nC_LIO_LIEquivalent information processing of both hemifields is indicated by similar pRF sizes.\nC_LIO_LICF modeling indicates changes to the cortico-cortical connections at the level of V3.\nC_LI

neuroscience↗