Preserved blood-brain barrier and neurovascular coupling in female 5xFAD model of Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Dysfunction of the cerebral vasculature is considered one of the key components of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the mechanisms affecting individual brain vessels are poorly understood. Methods: Here, using in vivo two-photon microscopy in superficial cortical layers and ex vivo imaging across brain regions, we characterized blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and neurovascular coupling (NVC) at the level of individual brain vessels in adult female 5xFAD mice, an aggressive amyloid-ß (Aß) model of AD. Results: We report a lack of abnormal increase in adsorptive-mediated transcytosis of albumin and preserved paracellular barrier for fibrinogen and small molecules despite an extensive load of Aß. Likewise, the NVC responses to somatosensory stimulation were preserved at all regulatory segments of the microvasculature: penetrating arterioles, precapillary sphincters, and capillaries. Lastly, the Aß plaques did not affect the density of capillary pericytes. Conclusion: Our findings provide direct evidence of preserved microvascular function in the 5xFAD mice and highlight the critical dependence of the experimental outcomes on the choice of preclinical models of AD. We propose that the presence of parenchymal Aß does not warrant BBB and NVC dysfunction and that the generalized view that microvascular impairment is inherent to Aß aggregation may need to be revised.

Impaired dynamics of precapillary sphincters and pericytes at first-order capillaries predict reduced neurovascular function in the aging mouse brain.

The microvascular inflow tract, comprising the penetrating arterioles, precapillary sphincters and first-order capillaries, is the bottleneck for brain blood flow and energy supply. Exactly how aging alters the structure and function of the microvascular inflow tract remains unclear. By in vivo four-dimensional two-photon imaging, we reveal an age-dependent decrease in vaso-responsivity accompanied by a decrease in vessel density close to the arterioles and loss of vascular mural cell processes, although the number of mural cell somas and their alpha smooth muscle actin density were preserved. The age-related reduction in vascular reactivity was mostly pronounced at precapillary sphincters, highlighting their crucial role in capillary blood flow regulation. Mathematical modeling revealed impaired pressure and flow control in aged mice during vasoconstriction. Interventions that preserve dynamics of cerebral blood vessels may ameliorate age-related decreases in blood flow and prevent brain frailty.

MEMS micro-coils for magnetic neurostimulation.

Micro-coil magnetic stimulation of brain tissue presents new challenges for MEMS micro-coil probe fabrication. The main challenges are threefold; (i) low coil resistance for high power efficiency, (ii) low leak current from the probe into the in vitro experimental set-up, (iii) adaptive MEMS process technology because of the dynamic research area, which requires agile design changes. Taking on these challenges, we present a MEMS fabrication process that has three main features; (i) multilayer resist lift-off process to pattern up to 1800-nm-thick metal films, and special care is taken to obtain high conductivity thin-films by physical vapor deposition, and (ii) all micro-coil Al wires are encapsulated in at least 200 nm of ALD alumina and 6-µm-thick parylene C such the leak resistance is high (>210 GΩ), (iii) combining a multi-step DRIE process and maskless photolithography for adaptive design and device fabrication. The entire process requires four lithography steps. Because we avoided SOI wafers and lithography mask fabrication, the design-to-device time is shortened significantly. The resulting probes are 4-mm-long, 60-µm-thick, and down to 150 µm-wide. Selected MEMS coil devices were validated in vivo using mice and compared to previous work.

Precapillary sphincters and pericytes at first-order capillaries as key regulators for brain capillary perfusion.

Rises in local neural activity trigger local increases of cerebral blood flow, which is essential to match local energy demands. However, the specific location of microvascular flow control is incompletely understood. Here, we used two-photon microscopy to observe brain microvasculature in vivo. Small spatial movement of a three-dimensional (3D) vasculature makes it challenging to precisely measure vessel diameter at a single x-y plane. To overcome this problem, we carried out four-dimensional (x-y-z-t) imaging of brain microvessels during exposure to vasoactive molecules in order to constrain the impact of brain movements on the recordings. We demonstrate that rises in synaptic activity, acetylcholine, nitric oxide, cyclic guanosine monophosphate, ATP-sensitive potassium channels, and endothelin-1 exert far greater effects on brain precapillary sphincters and first-order capillaries than on penetrating arterioles or downstream capillaries, but with similar kinetics. The high level of responsiveness at precapillary sphincters and first-order capillaries was matched by a higher level of α-smooth muscle actin in pericytes as compared to penetrating arterioles and downstream capillaries. Mathematical modeling based on 3D vasculature reconstruction showed that precapillary sphincters predominantly regulate capillary blood flow and pressure as compared to penetrating arterioles and downstream capillaries. Our results confirm a key role for precapillary sphincters and pericytes on first-order capillaries as sensors and effectors of endothelium- or brain-derived vascular signals.

ATP induces contraction of cultured brain capillary pericytes via activation of P2Y-type purinergic receptors.

Brain capillary pericytes have been suggested to play a role in the regulation of cerebral blood flow under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. ATP has been shown to cause constriction of capillaries under ischemic conditions and suggested to be involved in the "no-reflow" phenomenon. To investigate the effects of extracellular ATP on pericyte cell contraction, we studied purinergic receptor activation of cultured bovine brain capillary pericytes. We measured intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) responses to purinergic agonists with the fluorescent indicators fura-2 and Cal-520 and estimated contraction of pericytes as relative change in cell area, using real-time confocal imaging. Addition of ATP caused an increase in cytosolic calcium and contraction of the brain capillary pericytes, both reversible and inhibited by the purinergic receptor antagonist pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulfonic acid (PPADS). Furthermore, we demonstrated that ATP-induced contraction could be eliminated by intracellular calcium chelation with BAPTA, indicating that the contraction was mediated via purinergic P2-type receptor-mediated [Ca2+]i signaling. ATP stimulation induced inositol triphosphate signaling, consistent with the notion of P2Y receptor activation. Receptor profiling studies demonstrated the presence of P2Y1 and P2Y2 receptors, using ATP, UTP, ADP, and the subtype specific agonists MRS2365 (P2Y1) and 2-thio-UTP (P2Y2). Addition of specific P2X agonists only caused an [Ca2+]i increase at high concentrations, attributed to activation of inositol triphosphate signaling. Our results suggest that contraction of brain capillary pericytes in vitro by activation of P2Y-type purinergic receptors is caused by intracellular calcium release. This adds more mechanistic understanding of the role of pericytes in vessel constriction and points toward P2Y receptors as potential therapeutic targets.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The study concerns brain capillary pericytes, which have been suggested to play a role in the regulation of cerebral blood flow. We show that extracellular ATP causes contraction of primary brain pericytes by stimulation of purinergic receptors and subsequent release of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). The contraction is mainly mediated through activation of P2Y-receptor subtypes, including P2Y1 and P2Y2. These findings add more mechanistic understanding of the role of pericytes in regulation of capillary blood flow. ATP was earlier suggested to be involved in capillary constriction in brain pathologies, and our study gives a detailed account of a part of this important mechanism.

Precapillary sphincters maintain perfusion in the cerebral cortex.

Active nerve cells release vasodilators that increase their energy supply by dilating local blood vessels, a mechanism termed neurovascular coupling and the basis of BOLD functional neuroimaging signals. Here, we reveal a mechanism for cerebral blood flow control, a precapillary sphincter at the transition between the penetrating arteriole and first order capillary, linking blood flow in capillaries to the arteriolar inflow. The sphincters are encircled by contractile mural cells, which are capable of bidirectional control of the length and width of the enclosed vessel segment. The hemodynamic consequence is that precapillary sphincters can generate the largest changes in the cerebrovascular flow resistance of all brain vessel segments, thereby controlling capillary flow while protecting the downstream capillary bed and brain tissue from adverse pressure fluctuations. Cortical spreading depolarization constricts sphincters and causes vascular trapping of blood cells. Thus, precapillary sphincters are bottlenecks for brain capillary blood flow.

Sensory Stimulation-Induced Astrocytic Calcium Signaling in Electrically Silent Ischemic Penumbra.

Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) induces ischemia characterized by a densely ischemic focus, and a less densely ischemic penumbral zone in which neurons and astrocytes display age-dependent dynamic variations in spontaneous Ca2+ activities. However, it is unknown whether penumbral nerve cells respond to sensory stimulation early after stroke onset, which is critical for understanding stimulation-induced stroke therapy. In this study, we investigated the ischemic penumbra's capacity to respond to somatosensory input. We examined adult (3- to 4-month-old) and old (18- to 24-month-old) male mice at 2-4 h after MCAO, using two-photon microscopy to record somatosensory stimulation-induced neuronal and astrocytic Ca2+ signals in the ischemic penumbra. In both adult and old mice, MCAO abolished spontaneous and stimulation-induced electrical activity in the penumbra, and strongly reduced stimulation-induced Ca2+ responses in neuronal somas (35-82%) and neuropil (92-100%) in the penumbra. In comparison, after stroke, stimulation-induced astrocytic Ca2+ responses in the penumbra were only moderately reduced (by 54-62%) in adult mice, and were even better preserved (reduced by 31-38%) in old mice. Our results suggest that somatosensory stimulation evokes astrocytic Ca2+ activity in the ischemic penumbra. We hypothesize that the relatively preserved excitability of astrocytes, most prominent in aged mice, may modulate protection from ischemic infarcts during early somatosensory activation of an ischemic cortical area. Future neuroprotective efforts in stroke may target spontaneous or stimulation-induced activity of astrocytes in the ischemic penumbra.

In Vivo Three-Dimensional Two-Photon Microscopy to Study Conducted Vascular Responses by Local ATP Ejection Using a Glass Micro-Pipette.

Maintenance of normal brain function requires a sufficient and efficient supply of oxygen and nutrition by a complex network of vessels. However, the regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is incompletely understood, especially at the capillary level. Two-photon microscopy is a powerful tool widely used to study CBF and its regulation. Currently, this field is limited by the lack of in vivo two-photon microscopy studies examining (1) CBF responses in three-dimensions, (2) conducted vascular responses, and (3) localized interventions within the vascular network. Here, we describe a 3D in vivo method using two-photon microscopy to study conducted vascular responses elicited by local ejection of ATP with a glass micro-pipette. Our method uses fast and repetitive hyperstack two-photon imaging providing precise diameter measurements by maximal intensity projection of the obtained images. Furthermore, we show that this method can also be used to study 3D astrocytic calcium responses. We also discuss the advantages and limitations of glass micro-pipette insertion and two-photon hyperstack imaging.

Spontaneous astrocytic Ca2+ activity abounds in electrically suppressed ischemic penumbra of aged mice.

Experimental focal cortical ischemic lesions consist of an ischemic core and a potentially salvageable peri-ischemic region, the ischemic penumbra. The activity of neurons and astrocytes is assumed to be suppressed in the penumbra because the electrical function is interrupted, but this is incompletely elucidated. Most experimental stroke studies used young adult animals, whereas stroke is prevalent in the elderly population. Using two-photon imaging in vivo, we here demonstrate extensive but electrically silent, spontaneous Ca2+ activity in neurons and astrocytes in the ischemic penumbra of 18- to 24-month-old mice 2-4 hr after middle cerebral artery occlusion. In comparison, stroke reduced spontaneous Ca2+ activity in neurons and astrocytes in adult mice (3-4 months of age). In aged mice, stroke increased astrocytic spontaneous Ca2+ activity considerably while neuronal spontaneous Ca2+ activity was unchanged. Blockade of action potentials and of purinergic receptors strongly reduced spontaneous Ca2+ activity in both neurons and astrocytes in the penumbra of old stroke mice. This indicates that stroke had a direct influence on mechanisms in presynaptic terminals and on purinergic signaling. Thus, highly dynamic variations in spontaneous Ca2+ activity characterize the electrically compromised penumbra, with remarkable differences between adult and old mice. The data are consistent with the notion that aged neurons and astrocytes take on a different phenotype than young mice. The increased activity of the aged astrocyte phenotype may be harmful to neurons. We suggest that the abundant spontaneous Ca2+ activity in astrocytes in the ischemic penumbra of old mice may be a novel target for neuroprotection strategies. A video abstract of this article can be found at https://youtu.be/AKlwKFsz1qE.

para-Aminothiophenol Radical Reaction-Functionalized Gold Nanoprobe for One-to-All Detection of Five Reactive Oxygen Species In Vivo.

Five major reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated in diseases including H2O2, •OH, O2•-, ROO•, and 1O2. Simultaneous detection of the five ROS with a single probe is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the development and progression of many diseases, such as cancer and inflammatory diseases. However, currently reported detection systems are limited by targeting one ROS with one probe. This one-to-one detection mode may fail to sufficiently unveil the diseased state. In this study, we achieved simultaneous detection of all the five ROS with one probe (i.e., one-to-all detection), by designing a novel para-aminothiophenol (PATP) and hemin-decorated gold (Au/PATP/Hemin) nanoprobe. The design is principled by our discovery that PATP can react with •OH, O2•-, ROO•, and 1O2 by a radical oxidative coupling mechanism to form 4,4'-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB). The DMAB then elicited strong characteristic surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) peaks at 1142, 1386, and 1432 cm-1; which in turn enables direct detection of •OH, O2•-, ROO•, and 1O2 and indirect detection of H2O2 by hemin-catalyzed fenton reaction to convert H2O2 into •OH. In two representative ROS-elevated mice models of tumors and allergic dermatitis, the Au/PATP/Hemin nanoprobe demonstrated its robust performance of monitoring tumor development and inflammation progression in a highly sensitive and quantitative manner.

Stimulation-induced increases in cerebral blood flow and local capillary vasoconstriction depend on conducted vascular responses.

Functional neuroimaging, such as fMRI, is based on coupling neuronal activity and accompanying changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and metabolism. However, the relationship between CBF and events at the level of the penetrating arterioles and capillaries is not well established. Recent findings suggest an active role of capillaries in CBF control, and pericytes on capillaries may be major regulators of CBF and initiators of functional imaging signals. Here, using two-photon microscopy of brains in living mice, we demonstrate that stimulation-evoked increases in synaptic activity in the mouse somatosensory cortex evokes capillary dilation starting mostly at the first- or second-order capillary, propagating upstream and downstream at 5-20 µm/s. Therefore, our data support an active role of pericytes in cerebrovascular control. The gliotransmitter ATP applied to first- and second-order capillaries by micropipette puffing induced dilation, followed by constriction, which also propagated at 5-20 µm/s. ATP-induced capillary constriction was blocked by purinergic P2 receptors. Thus, conducted vascular responses in capillaries may be a previously unidentified modulator of cerebrovascular function and functional neuroimaging signals.

Effect of electrical forepaw stimulation on capillary transit-time heterogeneity (CTH).

Functional hyperemia reduces oxygen extraction efficacy unless counteracted by a reduction of capillary transit-time heterogeneity of blood. We adapted a bolus tracking approach to capillary transit-time heterogeneity estimation for two-photon microscopy and then quantified changes in plasma mean transit time and capillary transit-time heterogeneity during forepaw stimulation in anesthetized mice (C57BL/6NTac). In addition, we analyzed transit time coefficient of variance = capillary transit-time heterogeneity/mean transit time, which we expect to remain constant in passive, compliant microvascular networks. Electrical forepaw stimulation reduced, both mean transit time (11.3% ± 1.3%) and capillary transit-time heterogeneity (24.1% ± 3.3%), consistent with earlier literature and model predictions. We observed a coefficient of variance reduction (14.3% ± 3.5%) during functional activation, especially for the arteriolar-to-venular passage. Such coefficient of variance reduction during functional activation suggests homogenization of capillary flows beyond that expected as a passive response to increased blood flow by other stimuli. This finding is consistent with an active neurocapillary coupling mechanism, for example via pericyte dilation. Mean transit time and capillary transit-time heterogeneity reductions were consistent with the relative change inferred from capillary hemodynamics (cell velocity and flux). Our findings support the important role of capillary transit-time heterogeneity in flow-metabolism coupling during functional activation.

Differential responses to high-frequency electrical stimulation in ON and OFF retinal ganglion cells.

OBJECTIVE: The field of retinal prosthetics for artificial vision has advanced considerably in recent years, however clinical outcomes remain inconsistent. The performance of retinal prostheses is likely limited by the inability of electrical stimuli to preferentially activate different types of retinal ganglion cell (RGC). APPROACH: Here we examine the response of rabbit RGCs to high-frequency stimulation, using biphasic pulses applied at 2000 pulses per second. Responses were recorded using cell-attached patch clamp methods, and stimulation was applied epiretinally via a small cone electrode. MAIN RESULTS: When prolonged stimulus trains were applied to OFF-brisk transient (BT) RGCs, the cells exhibited a non-monotonic relationship between response strength and stimulus amplitude; this response pattern was different from those elicited previously by other electrical stimuli. When the amplitude of the stimulus was modulated transiently from a non-zero baseline amplitude, ON-BT and OFF-BT cells exhibited different activity patterns: ON cells showed an increase in activity while OFF cells exhibited a decrease in activity. Using a different envelope to modulate the amplitude of the stimulus, we observed the opposite effect: ON cells exhibited a decrease in activity while OFF cells show an increase in activity. SIGNIFICANCE: As ON and OFF RGCs often exhibit opposing activity patterns in response to light stimulation, this work suggests that high-frequency electrical stimulation of RGCs may be able to elicit responses that are more physiological than traditional pulsatile stimuli. Additionally, the prospect of an electrical stimulus capable of cell-type specific selective activation has broad applications throughout the fields of neural stimulation and neuroprostheses.

The role of the microcirculation in delayed cerebral ischemia and chronic degenerative changes after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is 50%, and most survivors suffer severe functional and cognitive deficits. Half of SAH patients deteriorate 5 to 14 days after the initial bleeding, so-called delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Although often attributed to vasospasms, DCI may develop in the absence of angiographic vasospasms, and therapeutic reversal of angiographic vasospasms fails to improve patient outcome. The etiology of chronic neurodegenerative changes after SAH remains poorly understood. Brain oxygenation depends on both cerebral blood flow (CBF) and its microscopic distribution, the so-called capillary transit time heterogeneity (CTH). In theory, increased CTH can therefore lead to tissue hypoxia in the absence of severe CBF reductions, whereas reductions in CBF, paradoxically, improve brain oxygenation if CTH is critically elevated. We review potential sources of elevated CTH after SAH. Pericyte constrictions in relation to the initial ischemic episode and subsequent oxidative stress, nitric oxide depletion during the pericapillary clearance of oxyhemoglobin, vasogenic edema, leukocytosis, and astrocytic endfeet swelling are identified as potential sources of elevated CTH, and hence of metabolic derangement, after SAH. Irreversible changes in capillary morphology and function are predicted to contribute to long-term relative tissue hypoxia, inflammation, and neurodegeneration. We discuss diagnostic and therapeutic implications of these predictions.

The response of retinal neurons to high-frequency stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: High-rate pulse trains have proven to be effective in cochlear prosthetics and, more recently, have been shown to elicit a wide range of interesting response properties in axons of the peripheral nervous system. Surprisingly, the effectiveness of such trains for use in retinal prostheses has not been explored. APPROACH: Using cell-attached patch clamp methods, we measured the in vitro response of two rabbit retinal ganglion cell types, OFF-brisk transient (OFF-BT) and ON-OFF directionally selective (DS), to trains of biphasic pulses delivered at 2000 pulses per second (PPS). MAIN RESULTS: For OFF-BT cells, response onset occurred at ~20 µA, and maximum response occurred at ~40 µA. Interestingly, spiking levels decreased for further increases in amplitude. In contrast, DS cells had a spiking onset at ~25 µA and maintained strong spiking as stimulus amplitude was increased, even at the highest levels tested. Thus, a low-amplitude stimulus train at 2000 PPS (~25 µA) will activate OFF-BT cells strongly, while simultaneously activating DS cells only weakly. In contrast, a high amplitude train (~75 µA) will activate DS cells strongly while suppressing responses in OFF-BT cells. SIGNIFICANCE: The response differences between cell types suggest some forms of preferential activation may be possible, and further testing is warranted. Further, the scope of the response differences found here suggests activation mechanisms that are more complex than those described in previous studies.

The role of the cerebral capillaries in acute ischemic stroke: the extended penumbra model.

The pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia is traditionally understood in relation to reductions in cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, a recent reanalysis of the flow-diffusion equation shows that increased capillary transit time heterogeneity (CTTH) can reduce the oxygen extraction efficacy in brain tissue for a given CBF. Changes in capillary morphology are typical of conditions predisposing to stroke and of experimental ischemia. Changes in capillary flow patterns have been observed by direct microscopy in animal models of ischemia and by indirect methods in humans stroke, but their metabolic significance remain unclear. We modeled the effects of progressive increases in CTTH on the way in which brain tissue can secure sufficient oxygen to meet its metabolic needs. Our analysis predicts that as CTTH increases, CBF responses to functional activation and to vasodilators must be suppressed to maintain sufficient tissue oxygenation. Reductions in CBF, increases in CTTH, and combinations thereof can seemingly trigger a critical lack of oxygen in brain tissue, and the restoration of capillary perfusion patterns therefore appears to be crucial for the restoration of the tissue oxygenation after ischemic episodes. In this review, we discuss the possible implications of these findings for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of acute stroke.

Response variability to high rates of electric stimulation in retinal ganglion cells.

To improve the quality of prosthetic vision, it is important to understand how retinal neurons respond to electric stimulation. Previous studies present conflicting reports as to the maximum rate at which retinal ganglion cells can "follow" pulse trains, i.e., generate one spike for each pulse of the train. In the present study, we measured the response of 5 different types of rabbit retinal ganglion cells to pulse trains of 100-700 Hz. Surprisingly, we found significant heterogeneity in the ability of different types to follow pulse trains. For example, brisk transient (BT) ganglion cells could reliably follow pulse rates up to 600 pulses per second (PPS). In contrast, other types could not even follow rates of 200 PPS. There was additional heterogeneity in the response patterns across those types that could not follow high-rate trains. For example, some types generated action potentials in response to approximately every other pulse, whereas other types generated one spike per pulse for a few consecutive pulses and then did not generate any spikes in response to the next few pulses. Interestingly, in the types that could not follow high-rate trains, we found a second type of response: many pulses of the train elicited a biphasic waveform with an amplitude much smaller than that of standard action potentials. This small waveform was often observed following every pulse for which a standard spike was not elicited. A possible origin of the small waveform and its implication for effective retinal stimulation are discussed.

Spatiotemporal properties of multipeaked electrically evoked potentials elicited by penetrative optic nerve stimulation in rabbits.

PURPOSE: To investigate the spatiotemporal properties of the cortical responses elicited by intraorbital optic nerve (ON) stimulation with penetrating electrodes as means of designing optimal stimulation strategies for an ON visual prosthesis. METHODS: The ON of rabbits was exposed by orbital surgery for electrical stimulation. Craniotomy was performed to expose the visual cortex contralateral to the operated eye. Electrically evoked potentials (EEPs) were recorded by an electrode array positioned on the visual cortex. RESULTS: There were primarily four components (N1, P1, P2, P3) in EEPs with implicit times of 8.0 ± 0.6, 11.3 ± 1.3, 20.5 ± 1.4, and 26.9 ± 1.5 ms, respectively, when the ON was stimulated by penetrating electrodes. The thresholds to elicit these components were different, and the higher thresholds were seen with slower cortical components. The corresponding thresholds were 13.8 ± 3.1 µA for N1, 21.8 ± 4.7 µA for P1, 36.4 ± 11.4 µA for P2, and 68.4 ± 17.2 µA for P3. The time courses of the EEP components were also distinct. The locations of EEPs with the maximum P1 amplitude showed a spatial correspondence to the ON stimulation sites. Different profiles of cortical responses could be discriminated when the ON stimulation sites were separated by 150 µm. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple components with different properties were elicited in EEPs when the ON was stimulated by penetrating electrodes. Retinotopic and localized stimulation could be achieved with this stimulating approach.

High frequency electric stimulation of retinal neurons elicits physiological signaling patterns.

The effectiveness of retinal prosthetics will depend on their ability to elicit patterns of neural activity that can be recognized by the visual cortex. While conventional short-duration pulses activate retinal neurons effectively, many nearby neurons are thought to respond similarly to a given pulse train--a situation that is non-physiological. Use of pulse trains delivered at rates > 1000 pulses per second (PPS) in cochlear prosthetics help to avoid phase-locked responses but have not been evaluated in the retina; here, we explored the response to trains of 2000 PPS. We found that ganglion cells respond robustly to these stimuli but that the properties of the response were highly sensitive to stimulus amplitude. At low amplitudes the response patterns were burst-like while at higher amplitudes elicited spikes had intervals that were more uniform. Because burst responses were insensitive to synaptic blockers, our results suggest that they arise from direct activation. This was surprising because previous studies indicated that burst responses arise only through indirect activation. Thus, our results suggest multiple mechanisms of burst creation may exist. Further, histograms of interspike intervals revealed that the response properties were different in different types of ganglion cells. While further testing is needed, the ability to create different patterns of activity in different types of ganglion cells raises the possibility that more natural spike patterns can be created.

Low-hemorrhage-risk surgical approach to expose the optic nerve in rabbits without bony removal and rectus resection.

OBJECTIVE: A low-hemorrhage-risk surgical approach to expose the optic nerve (ON) in rabbits through the orbital process of the frontal bone without removal of the bony orbit and resection of the rectus muscle was explored and assessed in this study. This approach will be used to investigate a new visual prosthesis that requires intraorbital ON stimulation with penetrating electrodes. Animals Chinese Albino rabbits (n = 10). METHODS: Rabbits were classified into a surgery and a control group (five in each). In the surgery group, the ON exposure was explored by the newly proposed surgical approach. Surgical time, blood loss, visually evoked potentials (VEP) at four different scheduled time points, and H&E-stained histology of the ON at one month after surgery were recorded and analyzed to assess the ease and safety of the approach. RESULTS: The average surgical time for the ON exposure was 16.40 +/- 1.14 min with average blood loss of 0.52 +/- 0.08 mL. Within the one-month follow-up, the ON exhibited a naturally reversible conduction change in terms of VEP amplitude. Histological examination of the ON was unremarkable. A postoperative mild ptosis of the surgical eye resolved within one month after surgery. CONCLUSION: The ease and safety of this new surgical approach allowed it to be easily used by non-expert operators and widely applied in rabbit experiments for various research purposes requiring exposure of the ON.