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Progressive Effects of Sildenafil on Visual Processing in Rats
Freja Gam Østergaard1, Alex R Wade2, Hartwig Roman Siebner3
1Translational Biology, H. Lundbeck A/S, Ottiliavej 9, DK-2500 Valby, Denmark.
Neuroscience
|July 3, 2020
Summary
Sildenafil significantly impacts visual processing in rats, reducing visual evoked potential (VEP) amplitude and delaying VEP peaks. These findings highlight VEPs and steady-state VEPs (SSVEPs) as effective tools for studying drug effects on vision.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Photoreceptors convert light into electrochemical signals for visual processing.
- Phosphodiesterase type 6 (PDE6) is crucial for phototransduction in photoreceptors.
- Sildenafil is a PDE inhibitor with known effects on the visual system.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effects of sildenafil on visual processing using electrophysiological recordings.
- To investigate progressive changes in the rodent visual pathway after sildenafil administration.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological recordings of flash visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and steady-state VEPs (SSVEPs) in Sprague-Dawley rats.
- Administration of sildenafil (50 mg/kg) with measurements at 10 timepoints from 30 min to 28 h.
- Analysis of VEP amplitude, latency, and SSVEP signal-to-noise ratio under different wavelength conditions.
Main Results:
- Sildenafil significantly reduced VEP amplitude in the visual cortex and superior colliculus.
- A significant delay in VEP peak latencies was observed after sildenafil administration.
- Sildenafil treatment decreased the signal-to-noise ratio of SSVEPs, with wavelength-dependent effects.
Conclusions:
- Near-complete PDE6 inhibition by sildenafil does not abolish visual processing.
- VEPs and SSVEPs are effective in demonstrating progressive, drug-induced changes in visual processing.
- These electrophysiological paradigms show promise for translational research in humans.
