The Functional Organisation And Signals Of Motion Sensitive Neurons In The Middle-temporal Area Of Visual Cortex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$405,337.00
Summary
Some nerve cells in the cerebral cortex are very sensitive to visual motion. These neurons direct eye movements and provide motion perception, but the "neuronal code" they carry is poorly understood. We will address this basic question in experimental studies of the primate visual system. This project will help us understand visual performance; poor motion vision is an early indicator of many neurological disorders and this knowledge can help develop methods for their detection and diagnosis.
Network Properties Of Colour Pathways In Primates.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$594,891.00
Summary
This project concerns the way in which the eye and brain work together, to enable perception of the colour, form, and movements of objects in the visual world. It is thought that these different attributes of the visual environment are signalled by several parallel nerve pathways in the visual system, but the nature of the neuronal code carried by these pathways remains poorly understood. The aim of our project is to address this basic question, in experimental studies of the intact primate visu ....This project concerns the way in which the eye and brain work together, to enable perception of the colour, form, and movements of objects in the visual world. It is thought that these different attributes of the visual environment are signalled by several parallel nerve pathways in the visual system, but the nature of the neuronal code carried by these pathways remains poorly understood. The aim of our project is to address this basic question, in experimental studies of the intact primate visual system. We plan two sets of experiments. Firstly, we will test the hypothesis that signals for both high-acuity form vision and red-green colour vision can be carried along a single neuronal pathway. We will determine whether response timing in nerve pathways provides a clue by which colour and brightness variation in the environment can be discriminated. Secondly, we will study the segregation of colour and acuity-related signals in the brain, using the method of functional optical imaging. This method, which allows nerve activity to be monitored at high resolution, over relatively large areas of the brain surface (cortex), will allow us test the hypothesis that colour signals are segregated to distinct regions of the visual cortex. These experiments address basic questions, but have application to human vision and visual dysfunction. Good acuity is essential for everyday tasks such as reading, and specific defects in colour vision are used for early detection of neurological dysfunction in diseases such as glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. Understanding the properties of neurons which underlie visual perception can thus help us to understand normal visual performance, and to develop better methods for detection and treatments for such disorders.Read moreRead less
Rationale For Non-invasive Treatment Of Retinopathy Of Prematurity: Dark Rearing As A Means Of Mimicking Physiological Vascularisation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$413,900.00
Summary
We aim to develop a new, non-invasive and cost-effective treatment for the disease Retinopathy of Prematurity, the leading cause of childhood blindness across the globe. We intend to test our hypothesis that raising neonates in conditions of total darkness and high oxygen will closely mimic conditions for inducing normal retinal vascular development, and thus prevent the initiating event of the disease. Ultimately, the project intends to lay the groundwork for a translation to the human conditio ....We aim to develop a new, non-invasive and cost-effective treatment for the disease Retinopathy of Prematurity, the leading cause of childhood blindness across the globe. We intend to test our hypothesis that raising neonates in conditions of total darkness and high oxygen will closely mimic conditions for inducing normal retinal vascular development, and thus prevent the initiating event of the disease. Ultimately, the project intends to lay the groundwork for a translation to the human condition.Read moreRead less