Zrenner Lab

Experimental Retinal Prosthetics Group

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Optimization of electrical stimulation parameters for the retina

In Tübingen’s electrically-based subretinal prosthesis (Alpha-AMS), a photosensitive chip is implanted under the degenerated retina where it replaces degenerated photoreceptors in stimulating the remaining outer retinal cells. For this prosthesis, it is necessary to understand how the retina encodes visual stimuli in the spiking activity of the retinal ganglion cell population so that this activity pattern can be effectively recreated. Using statistical models that relate visual stimulus to retinal output, the retinal responses are used to optimize artificial stimulation parameters. Through a dynamic interaction of modeling and experimental efforts, significant progress will be made in the development of visual prostheses.

PartnerRathbun, Jalligampala, Sekhar, Hosseinzadeh
Thomas Münch, Eberhart Zrenner, Stefano Panzeri
DatesBCCN funding period: 01.05.2010 – 30.04.2015, additional work ongoing
Funding Insititutions

Results

  1. Hosseinzadeh Z, Jalligampala A, Zrenner E, Rathbun DL.  “The spatial extent of epiretinal electrical stimulation in the healthy mouse retina.”  Neurosignals.  2017 Jul 26;25(1):15-25.
  2. Jalligampala A, Sekhar S, Zrenner E, Rathbun DL.  "Optimal Voltage Stimulation Parameters for Network-Mediated Responses in Wild Type and rd10 Mouse Retinal Ganglion Cells.” J. Neural Eng.  2017 Apr;14(2):026004.