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A Novel Approach for Documenting Phosphenes Induced by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
07:29

A Novel Approach for Documenting Phosphenes Induced by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Published on: April 1, 2010

Transcranial electrical stimulation over visual cortex evokes phosphenes with a retinal origin.

Kohitij Kar1, Bart Krekelberg

  • 1Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA. kohitij@vision.rutgers.edu

Journal of Neurophysiology
|August 3, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) may generate light flashes (phosphenes) in the retina, not the brain. This suggests tES currents spread widely, requiring new protocols for targeted neurological treatments.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biophysics
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) is a potential therapy for neurological disorders.
  • Understanding current spread is crucial for designing effective tES therapies.
  • The visual system serves as a model for tES due to phosphene perception.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the origin of phosphenes induced by tES over the visual cortex.
  • To test the hypothesis that phosphenes are generated in the retina rather than the occipital cortex.

Main Methods:

  • Comparing phosphene induction with varying electrode positions relative to the eye and visual cortex.
  • Analyzing the temporal frequency tuning of phosphenes.
  • Measuring the latency of phosphene evocation.

Main Results:

  • Phosphenes were induced at lower currents when electrodes were closer to the eye.
  • Phosphene temporal tuning aligns with primate retinal ganglion cell responses.
  • No significant difference in phosphene evocation time was found between retinal and cortical stimulation.

Conclusions:

  • Findings suggest tES-induced phosphenes originate in the retina.
  • tES currents likely spread extensively, limiting focal neural activation.
  • Novel stimulation protocols are needed to optimize current distribution for tES therapies.