Rod Cone Interactions in Mesopic Vision

描述（由申请人提供）：中视视觉是视杆视觉和视锥视觉在适度但不低光照条件下的结合，是一个基础但具有挑战性的研究领域。它之所以重要，是因为视杆细胞和视锥细胞信号之间的相互作用改变了视觉功能的几个方面，比如颜色视觉和时间视觉。这是具有挑战性的，因为传统的方法未能对其在人类视觉中的复杂作用产生清晰的理解。提出的研究将使用一种新型的四初级光刺激器来独立控制杆状和锥状刺激。本研究将结合心理物理学和生理学的方法来探讨介导中视视觉的神经机制。心理物理实验将评估在中观光水平下色觉和时间视觉的杆状锥相互作用。生理实验将测量中视光照下灵长类动物神经节细胞的视杆和视锥输入。目的是确定视网膜通路有助于中视视力。这项工作的结果可以为开发早期检测和监测导致失明的视网膜眼病的新方法提供框架，包括年龄相关性黄斑变性、糖尿病视网膜病变、杆状锥体营养不良和视网膜色素变性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mesopic vision, a combination of rod and cone vision in modest but not low lighting situations, is a fundamental but challenging research area. It is fundamental because the interactions between rod and cone signals alter several aspects of visual function, such as color vision and temporal vision. It is challenging because traditional methodology has failed to yield a clear understanding of its complex role in human vision. The proposed research will use a novel four-primary photostimulator that independently controls rod and cone excitations. The study will combine psychophysical and physiological methodologies to investigate the neural mechanisms that mediate mesopic vision. Psychophysical experiments will be conducted to assess rod-cone interactions in color vision and temporal vision at mesopic light levels. Physiological experiments will be conducted to measure rod and cone inputs to ganglion cells in primates under mesopic illuminations. The goal is to determine retinal pathways that contribute to mesopic vision. The outcome of this work can provide a framework for developing new methods for early detection and monitoring of retinal eye diseases that cause blindness, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, rod-cone dystrophies and retinitis pigmentosa. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: At mesopic light levels, both rod and cone photoreceptors are active. This proposed research will use a novel technology to independently control rod and cone stimulations to investigate how signals arising from rods and cones interact to alter vision. From this, we will better understand the neural mechanisms mediating rod-cone interactions in mesopic vision, which could lead to developing new technologies to improve disease management through early detection and monitoring of retinal eye diseases that lead to blindness, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, rod-cone dystrophies and retinitis pigmentosa.