Long-range goal: 1. To provide an understanding of fast local and lateral gain control mechanisms in the human retina. 2. To lay the foundation applications of a new and powerful functional imaging technique for the noninvasive detection of inner retinal dysfunction in early stages of glaucoma and in diabetes. Recent progress: During the previous project periods, the concept of functional imaging of the retina by means of a multifocal technique based on multi-input nonlinear systems analysis has been explored and the technique has been established as a valuable scientific and clinical too. Our studies were aimed at the detection and mapping of local retinal dysfunction, and the identification and characterization of sources of the electroretinogram and the VEP. Patient studies included glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, optic neuropathy as well as some infection diseases. The study of ERG components reflecting inner retinal function and the detection and mapping of changes in these components in glaucoma and diabetes has become a major focus of this project. Much progress has been made toward the extraction and mapping of signals from ganglion cells. A notable achievement was the development of methods for the enhancement and extraction of a component from ganglion cell axons nears the nerve head. VEP studies included isolation of M and P components in the cortical response and multifocal source localization (collaboration).
Specific aims for the next project period: 1. To determine dynamics and lateral spread of nonlinear adaptive mechanisms in the human retina using new techniques developed during the last project period. 2. T detect and image the loss of ganglion cell responses in glaucoma using the multifocal ERG. Different modes of stimulation, signal derivation and analysis techniques will be compared using a small number of patients and normals. The best protocol will be evaluated on larger populations of patients and normals. 3. To test the hypothesis that the range and dynamics of the components investigated under 1. are sensitive indicators of retinal ischemia in diabetes. To develop a method to map functional changes in diabetes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY006861-13
Application #
6476317
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Program Officer
Liberman, Ellen S
Project Start
1986-05-01
Project End
2003-11-30
Budget Start
2001-12-01
Budget End
2002-11-30
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$468,807
Indirect Cost
Name
Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94115
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Poloschek, Charlotte M; Sutter, Erich E (2002) The fine structure of multifocal ERG topographies. J Vis 2:577-87
Shimada, Y; Li, Y; Bearse Jr, M A et al. (2001) Assessment of early retinal changes in diabetes using a new multifocal ERG protocol. Br J Ophthalmol 85:414-9
Hood, D C; Bearse Jr, M A; Sutter, E E et al. (2001) The optic nerve head component of the monkey's (Macaca mulatta) multifocal electroretinogram (mERG). Vision Res 41:2029-41
Palmowski, A M; Sutter, E E; Bearse Jr, M A et al. (1999) Das multifokale elektroretinogramm in der diagnostik und verlaufskontrolle lokalisierter Netzhautfunktionsstorungen: fallbericht eines patienten mit chorioretinopathia centralis serosa. Ophthalmologica 213:327-35
Baseler, H A; Sutter, E E; Klein, S A et al. (1994) The topography of visual evoked response properties across the visual field. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 90:65-81
Sutter, E E; Tran, D (1992) The field topography of ERG components in man--I. The photopic luminance response. Vision Res 32:433-46
Sutter, E E; Vaegan (1990) Lateral interaction component and local luminance nonlinearities in the human pattern reversal ERG. Vision Res 30:659-71