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Computational Modeling of Retinal Neurons for Visual Prosthesis Research - Fundamental Approaches

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Published on: June 21, 2022

A reaction-diffusion model of cholinergic retinal waves.

Benjamin Lansdell¹, Kevin Ford², J Nathan Kutz¹

¹Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.

Plos Computational Biology

|December 5, 2014

Summary

This study models cholinergic retinal waves, driven by Starburst Amacrine Cells (SACs) and acetylcholine (ACh). The model reveals how ACh concentration and SACs

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Biology
Developmental Biology

Background:

Spontaneous retinal waves, mediated by acetylcholine (ACh), are crucial for early visual system development.
Starburst Amacrine Cells (SACs) are thought to initiate these waves through recurrent, excitatory connectivity.
The dynamics of these waves are influenced by SACs' refractory periods and extracellular ACh levels.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a biophysically consistent reaction-diffusion model of cholinergic retinal waves.
To investigate the role of ACh concentration and SACs' connectivity in modulating wave activity.
To connect wave features to physiological parameters for predicting experimental outcomes.

Main Methods:

Constructed a simplified, reaction-diffusion model of cholinergic retinal waves.
Modeled SACs' recurrent connectivity via local excitatory coupling and ACh diffusion.
Applied non-linear wave theory to analyze simulation results.

Main Results:

The model successfully recapitulates observed mouse retinal wave dynamics.
Demonstrated how ACh-mediated connectivity influences wave activity.
Identified contributions of spontaneous activation rate and refractory period to wave size variability.

Conclusions:

The developed model provides a framework for understanding cholinergic retinal wave generation.
It offers insights into how physiological parameters shape wave spatiotemporal characteristics.
The model can guide pharmacological interventions to control retinal wave properties.