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Kunnath AJ, Gifford RH, Wallace MT. Cholinergic modulation of sensory perception and plasticity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105323. [PMID: 37467908 PMCID: PMC10424559 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Sensory systems are highly plastic, but the mechanisms of sensory plasticity remain unclear. People with vision or hearing loss demonstrate significant neural network reorganization that promotes adaptive changes in other sensory modalities as well as in their ability to combine information across the different senses (i.e., multisensory integration. Furthermore, sensory network remodeling is necessary for sensory restoration after a period of sensory deprivation. Acetylcholine is a powerful regulator of sensory plasticity, and studies suggest that cholinergic medications may improve visual and auditory abilities by facilitating sensory network plasticity. There are currently no approved therapeutics for sensory loss that target neuroplasticity. This review explores the systems-level effects of cholinergic signaling on human visual and auditory perception, with a focus on functional performance, sensory disorders, and neural activity. Understanding the role of acetylcholine in sensory plasticity will be essential for developing targeted treatments for sensory restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ansley J Kunnath
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Medical Scientist Training Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - René H Gifford
- Department of Otolaryngology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mark T Wallace
- Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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2
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NGF Eye Administration Recovers the TrkB and Glutamate/GABA Marker Deficit in the Adult Visual Cortex Following Optic Nerve Crush. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221810014. [PMID: 34576177 PMCID: PMC8471133 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221810014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Eye-drop recombinant human nerve growth factor (ed-rhNGF) has proved to recover the retina and optic nerve damage in animal models, including the unilateral optic nerve crush (ONC), and to improve visual acuity in humans. These data, associated with evidence that ed-rhNGF stimulates the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in retina and cortex, suggests that NGF might exert retino-fugal effects by affecting BDNF and its receptor TrkB. To address these questions, their expression and relationship with the GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission markers, GAD65 and GAD67, vesicular inhibitory amino acid transporter (VGAT), and vesicular glutamate transporters 1 and 2 (VGLUT-1 and VGLUT-2) were investigated in adult ONC rats contralateral and ipsilateral visual cortex (VCx). Ed-rhNGF recovers the ONC-induced alteration of GABAergic and glutamatergic markers in contralateral VCx, induces an upregulation of TrkB, which is positively correlated with BDNF precursor (proBDNF) decrease in both VCx sides, and strongly enhances TrkB+ cell soma and neuronal endings surrounded by GAD65 immuno-reactive afferents. These findings contribute to enlarging the knowledge on the mechanism of actions and cellular targets of exogenously administrated NGF, and suggest that ed-rhNGF might act by potentiating the activity-dependent TrkB expression in GAD+ cells in VCx following retina damage and/or ONC.
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Hwang JS, Shin YJ. Role of Choline in Ocular Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:4733. [PMID: 33946979 PMCID: PMC8124599 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Choline is essential for maintaining the structure and function of cells in humans. Choline plays an important role in eye health and disease. It is a precursor of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system, and it is involved in the production and secretion of tears by the lacrimal glands. It also contributes to the stability of the cells and tears on the ocular surface and is involved in retinal development and differentiation. Choline deficiency is associated with retinal hemorrhage, glaucoma, and dry eye syndrome. Choline supplementation may be effective for treating these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Young-Joo Shin
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hallym University Medical Center, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul 07442, Korea;
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van der Merwe Y, Murphy MC, Sims JR, Faiq MA, Yang XL, Ho LC, Conner IP, Yu Y, Leung CK, Wollstein G, Schuman JS, Chan KC. Citicoline Modulates Glaucomatous Neurodegeneration Through Intraocular Pressure-Independent Control. Neurotherapeutics 2021; 18:1339-1359. [PMID: 33846961 PMCID: PMC8423893 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-021-01033-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive, irreversible vision loss. Currently, intraocular pressure (IOP) is the only modifiable risk factor for glaucoma. However, glaucomatous degeneration may continue despite adequate IOP control. Therefore, there exists a need for treatment that protects the visual system, independent of IOP. This study sought, first, to longitudinally examine the neurobehavioral effects of different magnitudes and durations of IOP elevation using multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optokinetics and histology; and, second, to evaluate the effects of oral citicoline treatment as a neurotherapeutic in experimental glaucoma. Eighty-two adult Long Evans rats were divided into six groups: acute (mild or severe) IOP elevation, chronic (citicoline-treated or untreated) IOP elevation, and sham (acute or chronic) controls. We found that increasing magnitudes and durations of IOP elevation differentially altered structural and functional brain connectivity and visuomotor behavior, as indicated by decreases in fractional anisotropy in diffusion tensor MRI, magnetization transfer ratios in magnetization transfer MRI, T1-weighted MRI enhancement of anterograde manganese transport, resting-state functional connectivity, visual acuity, and neurofilament and myelin staining along the visual pathway. Furthermore, 3 weeks of oral citicoline treatment in the setting of chronic IOP elevation significantly reduced visual brain integrity loss and visual acuity decline without altering IOP. Such effects sustained after treatment was discontinued for another 3 weeks. These results not only illuminate the close interplay between eye, brain, and behavior in glaucomatous neurodegeneration, but also support a role for citicoline in protecting neural tissues and visual function in glaucoma beyond IOP control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolandi van der Merwe
- UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Matthew C Murphy
- UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Sims
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Muneeb A Faiq
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiao-Ling Yang
- UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Leon C Ho
- UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ian P Conner
- UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Yu Yu
- Pleryon Therapeutics Limited, Shenzhen, China
| | - Christopher K Leung
- University Eye Center, Hong Kong Eye Hospital, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gadi Wollstein
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joel S Schuman
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin C Chan
- UPMC Eye Center, Eye and Ear Institute, Ophthalmology and Visual Science Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Ophthalmology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
- Center for Neural Science, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
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Groleau M, Nazari-Ahangarkolaee M, Vanni MP, Higgins JL, Vézina Bédard AS, Sabel BA, Mohajerani MH, Vaucher E. Mesoscopic cortical network reorganization during recovery of optic nerve injury in GCaMP6s mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21472. [PMID: 33293617 PMCID: PMC7723052 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78491-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As the residual vision following a traumatic optic nerve injury can spontaneously recover over time, we explored the spontaneous plasticity of cortical networks during the early post-optic nerve crush (ONC) phase. Using in vivo wide-field calcium imaging on awake Thy1-GCaMP6s mice, we characterized resting state and evoked cortical activity before, during, and 31 days after ONC. The recovery of monocular visual acuity and depth perception was evaluated in parallel. Cortical responses to an LED flash decreased in the contralateral hemisphere in the primary visual cortex and in the secondary visual areas following the ONC, but was partially rescued between 3 and 5 days post-ONC, remaining stable thereafter. The connectivity between visual and non-visual regions was disorganized after the crush, as shown by a decorrelation, but correlated activity was restored 31 days after the injury. The number of surviving retinal ganglion cells dramatically dropped and remained low. At the behavioral level, the ONC resulted in visual acuity loss on the injured side and an increase in visual acuity with the non-injured eye. In conclusion, our results show a reorganization of connectivity between visual and associative cortical areas after an ONC, which is indicative of spontaneous cortical plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Groleau
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1P1, Canada
| | - Mojtaba Nazari-Ahangarkolaee
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Matthieu P Vanni
- Laboratoire de Neurophotonique, École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1P1, Canada
| | - Jacqueline L Higgins
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1P1, Canada
| | - Anne-Sophie Vézina Bédard
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1P1, Canada
| | - Bernhard A Sabel
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Otto-V.-Guericke University of Magdeburg, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Majid H Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Elvire Vaucher
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1P1, Canada.
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Vaucher E, Laliberté G, Higgins MC, Maheux M, Jolicoeur P, Chamoun M. Cholinergic potentiation of visual perception and vision restoration in rodents and humans. Restor Neurol Neurosci 2020; 37:553-569. [PMID: 31839615 DOI: 10.3233/rnn-190947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cholinergic system is a potent neuromodulator system that plays a critical role in cortical plasticity, attention, and learning. Recently, it was found that boosting this system during perceptual learning robustly enhances sensory perception in rodents. In particular, pairing cholinergic activation with visual stimulation increases neuronal responses, cue detection ability, and long-term facilitation in the primary visual cortex. The mechanisms of cholinergic enhancement are closely linked to attentional processes, long-term potentiation, and modulation of the excitatory/inhibitory balance. Some studies currently examine this effect in humans. OBJECTIVE The present article reviews the research from our laboratory, examining whether potentiating the central cholinergic system could help visual perception and restoration. METHODS Electrophysiological or pharmacological enhancement of the cholinergic system are administered during a visual training. Electrophysiological responses and perceptual learning performance are investigated before and after the training in rats and humans. This approach's ability to restore visual capacities following a visual deficit induced by a partial optic nerve crush is also investigated in rats. RESULTS The coupling of visual training to cholinergic stimulation improved visual discrimination and visual acuity in rats, and improved residual vision after a deficit. These changes were due to muscarinic and nicotinic transmissions and were associated with a functional improvement of evoked potentials. In humans, potentiation of cholinergic transmission with 5 mg of donepezil showed improved learning and ocular dominance plasticity, although this treatment was ineffective in augmenting the perceptual threshold and electroencephalography. CONCLUSIONS Potential therapeutic outcomes ought to facilitate vision restoration using commercially available cholinergic agents combined with visual stimulation in order to prevent irreversible vision loss in patients. This approach has the potential to help a large population of visually impaired individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvire Vaucher
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Centre de recherche en neuropsychologie et cognition (CERNEC), Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Guillaume Laliberté
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Marie-Charlotte Higgins
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Manon Maheux
- Centre de recherche en neuropsychologie et cognition (CERNEC), Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre Jolicoeur
- Centre de recherche en neuropsychologie et cognition (CERNEC), Montréal, Québec, Canada.,Département de Psychologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Mira Chamoun
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Locri F, Cammalleri M, Dal Monte M, Rusciano D, Bagnoli P. Protective Efficacy of a Dietary Supplement Based on Forskolin, Homotaurine, Spearmint Extract, and Group B Vitamins in a Mouse Model of Optic Nerve Injury. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11122931. [PMID: 31816880 PMCID: PMC6950150 DOI: 10.3390/nu11122931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Glaucoma is a multifactorial blinding disease with a major inflammatory component ultimately leading to apoptotic retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. Pharmacological treatments lowering intraocular pressure can help slow or prevent vision loss although the damage caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed. Recently, nutritional approaches have been evaluated for their efficacy in preventing degenerative events in the retina although mechanisms underlying their effectiveness remain to be elucidated. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a diet supplement consisting of forskolin, homotaurine, spearmint extract, and vitamins of the B group in counteracting retinal dysfunction in a mouse model of optic nerve crush (ONC) used as an in vivo model of glaucoma. After demonstrating that ONC did not affect retinal vasculature by fluorescein angiography, we determined the effect of the diet supplement on the photopic negative response (PhNR) whose amplitude is strictly related to RGC integrity and is therefore drastically reduced in concomitance with RGC death. We found that the diet supplementation prevents the reduction of PhNR amplitude (p < 0.001) and concomitantly counteracts RGC death, as in supplemented mice, RGC number assessed immunohistochemically is significantly higher than that in non-supplemented animals (p < 0.01). Major determinants of the protective efficacy of the compound are due to a reduction of ONC-associated cytokine secretion leading to decreased levels of apoptotic markers that in supplemented mice are significantly lower than in non-supplemented animals (p < 0.001), ultimately causing RGC survival and ameliorated visual dysfunction. Overall, our data suggest that the above association of compounds plays a neuroprotective role in this mouse model of glaucoma thus offering a new perspective in inflammation-associated neurodegenerative diseases of the inner retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Locri
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 31, 56127 Pisa, Italy (M.C.)
| | - Maurizio Cammalleri
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 31, 56127 Pisa, Italy (M.C.)
- Interdepartmental Research Center Nutrafood “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Massimo Dal Monte
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 31, 56127 Pisa, Italy (M.C.)
- Interdepartmental Research Center Nutrafood “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.D.M.); (P.B.); Tel.: +39-050-2211426 (M.D.M.)
| | - Dario Rusciano
- Sooft Italia SpA, Contrada Molino 17, 63833 Montegiorgio (FM), Italy;
| | - Paola Bagnoli
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via San Zeno, 31, 56127 Pisa, Italy (M.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.D.M.); (P.B.); Tel.: +39-050-2211426 (M.D.M.)
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Faiq MA, Wollstein G, Schuman JS, Chan KC. Cholinergic nervous system and glaucoma: From basic science to clinical applications. Prog Retin Eye Res 2019; 72:100767. [PMID: 31242454 PMCID: PMC6739176 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The cholinergic system has a crucial role to play in visual function. Although cholinergic drugs have been a focus of attention as glaucoma medications for reducing eye pressure, little is known about the potential modality for neuronal survival and/or enhancement in visual impairments. Citicoline, a naturally occurring compound and FDA approved dietary supplement, is a nootropic agent that is recently demonstrated to be effective in ameliorating ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular diseases, memory disorders and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in both humans and animal models. The mechanisms of its action appear to be multifarious including (i) preservation of cardiolipin, sphingomyelin, and arachidonic acid contents of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, (ii) restoration of phosphatidylcholine, (iii) stimulation of glutathione synthesis, (iv) lowering glutamate concentrations and preventing glutamate excitotoxicity, (v) rescuing mitochondrial function thereby preventing oxidative damage and onset of neuronal apoptosis, (vi) synthesis of myelin leading to improvement in neuronal membrane integrity, (vii) improving acetylcholine synthesis and thereby reducing the effects of mental stress and (viii) preventing endothelial dysfunction. Such effects have vouched for citicoline as a neuroprotective, neurorestorative and neuroregenerative agent. Retinal ganglion cells are neurons with long myelinated axons which provide a strong rationale for citicoline use in visual pathway disorders. Since glaucoma is a form of neurodegeneration involving retinal ganglion cells, citicoline may help ameliorate glaucomatous damages in multiple facets. Additionally, trans-synaptic degeneration has been identified in humans and experimental models of glaucoma suggesting the cholinergic system as a new brain target for glaucoma management and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muneeb A Faiq
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Gadi Wollstein
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Joel S Schuman
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kevin C Chan
- Department of Ophthalmology, New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, United States; Department of Radiology, New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, United States; Center for Neural Science, Faculty of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, United States.
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Sheynin Y, Chamoun M, Baldwin AS, Rosa-Neto P, Hess RF, Vaucher E. Cholinergic Potentiation Alters Perceptual Eye Dominance Plasticity Induced by a Few Hours of Monocular Patching in Adults. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:22. [PMID: 30766471 PMCID: PMC6365463 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A few hours of monocular deprivation with a diffuser eye patch temporarily strengthens the contribution of the deprived eye to binocular vision. This shift in favor of the deprived eye is characterized as a form of adult visual plasticity. Studies in animal and human models suggest that neuromodulators can enhance adult brain plasticity in general. Specifically, acetylcholine has been shown to improve certain aspects of visual function and plasticity in adulthood. We investigated whether a single administration of donepezil (a cholinesterase inhibitor) could further augment the temporary shift in perceptual eye dominance that occurs after 2 h of monocular patching. Twelve healthy adults completed two experimental sessions while taking either donepezil (5 mg, oral) or a placebo (lactose) pill. We measured perceptual eye dominance using a binocular phase combination task before and after 2 h of monocular deprivation with a diffuser eye patch. Participants in both groups demonstrated a significant shift in favor of the patched eye after monocular deprivation, however our results indicate that donepezil significantly reduces the magnitude and duration of the shift. We also investigated the possibility that donepezil reduces the amount of time needed to observe a shift in perceptual eye dominance relative to placebo control. For this experiment, seven subjects completed two sessions where we reduced the duration of deprivation to 1 h. Donepezil reduces the magnitude and duration of the patching-induced shift in perceptual eye dominance in this experiment as well. To verify whether the effects we observed using the binocular phase combination task were also observable in a different measure of sensory eye dominance, six subjects completed an identical experiment using a binocular rivalry task. These results also indicate that cholinergic enhancement impedes the shift that results from short-term deprivation. In summary, our study demonstrates that enhanced cholinergic potentiation interferes with the consolidation of the perceptual eye dominance plasticity induced by several hours of monocular deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasha Sheynin
- McGill Vision Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Mira Chamoun
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Alex S. Baldwin
- McGill Vision Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Pedro Rosa-Neto
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert F. Hess
- McGill Vision Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elvire Vaucher
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie de la Cognition Visuelle, École d'Optométrie, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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