Changes in foveal color vision processing throughout the life span are now well-documented, but the factors responsible for these changes are only partially understood. The purpose of this research is to determine the optical and neural factors that contribute to age- related changes in human color vision. Senescence of foveal and parafoveal processes will be compared. Visual performance at a neural level will be quantified using corrections for light losses due to age- related changes in the ocular media and to individual variation in macular pigment density. Sensitivity of isolated cone pathways will be measured at several retinal loci, and spatio-temporal summation experiments will be conducted to identify possible changes in neural ,organization such as increased neural noise, reduction in quantum catch and changes in cell numbers and morphology. Color appearance will be quantified by measurement of unique hues. Scotopic sensitivity and spatial summation will also be tested because of losses in rod numbers with advancing age. Tests of sensitivity and color appearance will also be conducted before and after cataract extraction and implantation of intraocular lenses. These experiments will provide further evidence pertaining to neural compensation which promotes color constancy despite lenticular senescence. The research will permit an evaluation of whether macular pigment plays a protective role for the retina and whether it is the basis for some individual differences in normal aging. It will contribute to our understanding of possible neural reorganization associated with losses of photoreceptors and ganglion cells. It will also provide fundamental data describing senescence of visual processes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
7R01AG004058-16
Application #
6163761
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Program Officer
Finkelstein, Judith A
Project Start
1983-09-29
Project End
2001-02-28
Budget Start
2000-03-01
Budget End
2001-02-28
Support Year
16
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$189,683
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Ophthalmology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
094878337
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618
Panorgias, Athanasios; Tillman, Megan; Sutter, Erich E et al. (2017) Senescent Changes and Topography of the Dark-Adapted Multifocal Electroretinogram. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 58:1323-1329
Marcos, Susana; Werner, John S; Burns, Stephen A et al. (2017) Vision science and adaptive optics, the state of the field. Vision Res 132:3-33
Shinomori, Keizo; Panorgias, Athanasios; Werner, John S (2016) Discrimination thresholds of normal and anomalous trichromats: Model of senescent changes in ocular media density on the Cambridge Colour Test. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis 33:A65-76
Werner, John S (2016) The Verriest Lecture: Short-wave-sensitive cone pathways across the life span. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis 33:A104-22
Tillman, Megan A; Panorgias, Athanasios; Werner, John S (2016) Age-related change in fast adaptation mechanisms measured with the scotopic full-field ERG. Doc Ophthalmol 132:201-12
Tregillus, Katherine E M; Werner, John S; Webster, Michael A (2016) Adjusting to a sudden “aging” of the lens. J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis 33:A129-36
Jonnal, Ravi S; Kocaoglu, Omer P; Zawadzki, Robert J et al. (2015) Author Response: Outer Retinal Bands. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 56:2507-10
Winkler, Alissa D; Spillmann, Lothar; Werner, John S et al. (2015) Asymmetries in blue-yellow color perception and in the color of 'the dress'. Curr Biol 25:R547-8
Panorgias, Athanasios; Zawadzki, Robert J; Capps, Arlie G et al. (2013) Multimodal assessment of microscopic morphology and retinal function in patients with geographic atrophy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 54:4372-84
Parkosadze, Khatuna; Kalmakhelidze, Teona; Tolmacheva, Marina et al. (2013) Persistent biases in subjective image focus following cataract surgery. Vision Res 89:10-7

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