Restoration Of Visually Evoked Center-surround Antagonism Using Photosensitive Opsins

University of California System: University of California, Berkeley
posted on 07/12/2010

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Retinal degeneration culminates in mild to severe vision loss resulting from mutations in 196 different genes that cause the death of light sensitive photoreceptor cells, but leave the non-photosensitive inner retinal n eurons intact. Center-Surround Antagonism is a functional property of normal vision that allows for high acuity, contrast sensitivity and useful spatial vision.   Restoring this property to a blind retina is crucial for re-establishing functional vision following rod and cone loss due to injury or retinal degeneration. Scientists at UC Berkeley have developed a method to directly insert light sensitive proteins (Photosensitive Opsins) into non-photosensitive retinal neurons, allowing those neurons to act as photoreceptors and restore center-surround antagonism.

• This method is a potential future therapy for restoring sight to the blind.

• Gene therapy targeting non-photosensitive retinal neurons
• Gene therapy in the eye has been successful in animal trials
• Restores enhanced contrast and edge sensitivity
• Decreases “blur”
• Possible therapy for those that have suffered substantial photoreceptor loss