Project Overview

Retina-based optogenetic therapy is a promising approach to restore vision to individuals suffering from retinal degeneration. After photoreceptor degeneration, optogenetics are targeted to remaining retinal neurons that are not intrinsically light sensitive, in order to make them light-responsive. However, due to technical reasons, the nature of light responses in the retina following optogenetic therapy differ from the light responses in healthy retina. It is unknown how altering retinal light responses via optogenetic therapy changes visual responses in visual cortex, and how this affects visual perception.

Here, we will examine visual cortex responses and visual perception in mice following retina-based optogenetic therapy. These results will provide a multiscale analysis providing crucial insights into how the nature of retina-based vision restoration affects its efficacy.

Principal Investigator

Stuart Trenholm , McGill University