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Updated: Oct 21, 2025
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A Novel Approach for Documenting Phosphenes Induced by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Published on: April 1, 2010
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Multi-electrode stimulation evokes consistent spatial patterns of phosphenes and improves phosphene mapping in blind
Denise Oswalt1, William Bosking1, Ping Sun2
1Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Brain Stimulation
|September 5, 2021
Summary
Bimanual fixation and relative mapping improve phosphene localization for visual cortical prostheses (VCPs). These methods, alongside a logarithmic model, enhance VCP implementation for restoring vision in blindness.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Visual cortical prostheses (VCPs) offer potential for vision restoration in acquired blindness.
- Reliable phosphene mapping is crucial for successful VCP implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate different phosphene mapping strategies.
- Propose improvements for VCP mapping.
Main Methods:
- Compared unimanual vs. bimanual fixation.
- Assessed absolute vs. relative phosphene mapping.
- Stimulated electrodes in the visual cortex of blind and sighted patients.
Main Results:
- Phosphene mapping was less precise in blind than sighted subjects.
- Bimanual fixation improved localization consistency in blind subjects.
- Relative mapping, with variability correction, enhanced precision and revealed functional organization.
Conclusions:
- Relative mapping with bimanual fixation yields precise phosphene organization estimates.
- Combining these techniques with a logarithmic visual cortex model may improve VCP implementation.
