Background: To compare objective electrophysiological contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in patients implanted with either multifocal intraocular lenses (MIOLs) or monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) by pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (prVEP) measurements.

Methods: Fourty-five cataract patients were randomly allocated to receive bilaterally: apodized diffractive-refractive Alcon Acrysof MIOL (A), full diffractive AMO Tecnis MIOL (B) or monofocal Alcon Acrysof IOL (C). Primary outcomes: 1-year differences in objective binocular CSF measured by prVEP with sinusoid grating stimuli of 6 decreasing contrast levels at 6 spatial frequencies. Secondary outcomes: psychophysical CSF measured with VCTS-6500, photopic uncorrected distance (UDVA), and mesopic and photopic uncorrected near and intermediate visual acuities (UNVA and UIVA respectively).

Results: Electrophysiological CSF curve had an inverted U-shaped morphology in all groups, with a biphasic pattern in Group B. Group A showed a lower CSF than group B at 4 and 8 cpd, and a lower value than group C at 8 cpd. Psychophysical CSF in group A exhibited a lower value at 12 cpd than group B. Mean photopic and mesopic UNVA and UIVA were worse in monofocal group compared to the multifocal groups. Mesopic UNVA and UIVA were better in group B.

Conclusions: Electrophysiological CSF behaves differently depending on the types of multifocal or monofocal IOLs. This may be related to the visual acuity under certain conditions or to IOL characteristics. This objective method might be a potential new tool to investigate on MIOL differences and on subjective device-related quality of vision.

Background: The expression, localization, and function of the endocannabinoid system has been well characterized in recent years in the monkey retina and in the primary thalamic relay, the lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). Few data are available on cortical recipients’ structures of the dLGN, namely the primary visual cortex (V1). The goal of this study is to characterize the expression and localization of the metabotropic cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R), the synthesizing enzyme N-acyl phosphatidyl-ethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), and the degradation enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in the vervet monkey area V1.

Methods: Using Western blots and immunohistochemistry, we investigated the expression patterns of CB1R, NAPE-PLD, and FAAH in the vervet monkey primary visual cortex.

Results: CB1R, NAPE-PLD, and FAAH were expressed in the primary visual cortex throughout the rostro-caudal axis. CB1R showed very low levels of staining in cortical layer 4, with higher expressions in all other cortical layers, especially layer 1. NAPE-PLD and FAAH expressions were highest in layers 1, 2 and 3, and lowest in layer 4.

Conclusions: Interestingly enough, CB1R was very low in layer 4 of V1 in comparison to the other cortical layers. The visual information coming from the dLGN and entering layer 4Calpha (magno cells) and 4Cbeta (parvo cells) may be therefore modulated by the higher expression levels of CB1R in cortical layers 2 and 3 on the way to the dorsal and ventral visual streams. This is further supported by the higher expression of NAPE-PLD and FAAH in the outer cortical layers. These data indicate that CB1R system can influence the network of activity patterns in the visual stream after the visual information has reached area V1. These novel results provide insights for understanding the role of the endocannabinoids in the modulation of cortical visual inputs, and hence, visual perception.

Background: It is well known that the pulvinar establishes reciprocal connections with areas of the visual cortex, allowing the transfer of cortico-cortical signals through transthalamic pathways. However, the exact function of these signals in coordinating activity across the visual cortical hierarchy remains largely unknown. In anesthetized cats, we have explored whether pulvinar inactivation affects the dynamic of interactions between the primary visual cortex (a17) and area 21a, a higher visual cortical area, as well as between layers within each cortical area. We found that pulvinar inactivation modifies the local field potentials (LFPs) coherence between a17 and 21a during a visual stimulation. In addition, the Granger causality analysis showed that the functional connectivity changed across visual areas and between cortical layers during pulvinar inactivation, the effects being stronger in layers of the same area. We observed that the effects of pulvinar inactivation arise at two different epochs of the visual response, i.e., at the early and late components. The proportion of feedback and feedforward functional events was higher during the early and the late phases of the responses, respectively. We also found that pulvinar inactivation facilitates the feedback propagation of gamma oscillations from 21a to a17. This feedback transmission was predominant during the late response. At the temporal level, pulvinar inactivation also delayed the signals from a17 and 21a, depending on the source and the target of the cortical layer. Thus, the pulvinar can not only modify the functional connectivity between intra and inter cortical layers but may also control the temporal dynamics of neuronal activity across the visual cortical hierarchy.

Methods: In vivo electrophysiological recordings of visual cortical areas, area 17 and 21a, in anesthetized cats, were then explored with temporal serial analysis (i.e., Fourier analysis, Coherence, Cross-correlation and Granger causality) of the local field potential.

Results: Inactivation of the thalamic nucleus modifies the dynamics of areas 17 and 21a. The changes observed depends on the source and the target of the cortical layer. The pulvinar inactivation arise at two different epochs of visual response.

Conclusions: The pulvinar modifies the functional connectivity between intra and inter cortical layers and may also control the temporal dynamics of neuronal activity across the visual cortical hierarchy.

Background: For years, studies using several animal models have highlighted the predominant role of the primary visual area in visual information processing. Its six cortical layers have morphological, hodological and physiological differences, although their roles regarding the integration of visual contrast and the messages sent by the layers to other brain regions have been poorly explored. Given that cortical layers have distinct properties, this study aims to understand these differences and how they are affected by a changing visual contrast.

Methods: A linear multi-channel electrode was placed in the primary visual cortex (V1) of the anesthetized mouse to record neuronal activity across the different cortical layers. The laminar position of the electrode was verified in real time by measuring the current source density (CSD) and the multi-unit activity (MUA), and confirmed post-mortem by histological analysis. Drifting gratings varying in contrast enabled the measurement of the firing rate of neurons throughout layers. We fitted this data to the Naka-Rushton equations, which generated the contrast response function (CRF) of neurons.

Results: The analysis revealed that the baseline activity as well as the rate of change of neural discharges (the slope of the CRF) had a positive correlation across the cortical layers. In addition, we found a trend between the cortical position and the contrast evoking the semi-saturation of the activity. A significant difference in the maximum discharge rate was also found between layers II/III and IV, as well as between layers II/III and V.

Conclusions: Since layers II/III and V process visual contrast differently, our results suggest that higher cortical visual areas, as well subcortical regions, receive different information regarding a change in visual contrast. Thus, a contrast may be processed differently throughout the different areas of the visual cortex.