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Direct stimulation of optic nerve by electrodes implanted in optic disc of rabbit eyes

  • Laboratory Investigation
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To determine whether wire microelectrodes implanted in the optic disc can be used to elicit cortical potentials.

Methods

Two or four platinum wire electrodes of two types, viz., the cut-end type and the exposed-tip type, were inserted through the vitreous and fixed in the optic disc of 16 rabbit eyes. Electrically evoked potentials (EEPs) were recorded after bipolar electrical stimulation with the two wire electrodes and by different combinations of the four-electrode system. The optic discs were examined histologically after the experiment.

Results

The wire electrodes were successfully implanted and fixed into different positions of the optic disc without serious complications in all 16 eyes. EEPs could be elicited after bipolar electrical stimulation of the optic nerve using either the two-electrode system or different pairs of the four-electrode system. Threshold charge densities to elicit EEPs were 0.32–0.64 mC/cm2 in eyes using the cut-end type of electrodes and 0.93–6.21 μC/cm2 in eyes using the exposed-tip type. The amplitude of the EEPs increased with increasing electrical stimulus intensities. Histological evaluation revealed limited damage to the neural tissue adjacent to the electrode track.

Conclusions

The visual cortex can be activated by direct microelectrical stimulation of the optic nerve. The acute implantation of the wire microelectrodes into the optic disc by a transvitreal approach is feasible and results in only limited damage to the optic nerve.

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Acknowledgements

Grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (No. 14571670), Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan

    Xiaoyun Fang, Hirokazu Sakaguchi, Yasushi Ikuno, Motohiro Kamei, Masahito Ohji, Dekang Gan, Junsub Choi & Yasuo Tano

  2. Department of Visual Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka, Japan

    Takashi Fujikado & Hiroyuki Kanda

  3. Department of Electrical Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan

    Makoto Osanai & Tetsuya Yagi

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  1. Xiaoyun Fang
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  2. Hirokazu Sakaguchi
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Correspondence to Xiaoyun Fang.

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Fang, X., Sakaguchi, H., Fujikado, T. et al. Direct stimulation of optic nerve by electrodes implanted in optic disc of rabbit eyes. Graefe's Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 243, 49–56 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-004-0957-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-004-0957-0

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