Optical imaging of electrically evoked visual signals in cats. I, Responses to corneal and intravitreal electrical stimulation

Microelectronic retinal prostheses have been shown to restore the perception of light to the blind through electrical stimulation. Conventional recording techniques such as recording electrode arrays on the visual cortex can give a basic understanding of the events that occur during such stimulation events, but their finite size and number limits the spatial resolution achievable with them. Optical imaging of intrinsic signals (OIS imaging) allows for greater resolution (approximately 50 mum) of the activity in the cortex. This can be used to facilitate a greater understanding of the complex neurophysiological events that allow prosthetic vision. This paper shows responses to visual and electrical stimulation of the retina, and demonstrates that OIS imaging may be an effective technique in further refining stimulation techniques and implant designs for retinal prostheses.