Wireless electroretinography and visual evoked potentials for central nervous system drug testing

Project Details

The electroretinogram and visual evoked potential are widely used in vivo tools assaying the integrity of the visual pathway. Current recordings in preclinical models are conducted under anesthesia, which alters neural physiology and contaminates responses. We have developed a conscious wireless ERG and VEP recording platform in rats using a novel surgical technique to chronically implant electrodes subconjunctivally on the eye and epidurally over the visual cortex. We have also shown that the use of anaesthetics, necessary for conventional ERG and VEP measurements, alters electrophysiology recordings. As such it is expected that this conscious wireless electrophysiological platform would be more infomative to assess novel drugs wihtout the confounds associated with anaethesia. The development of each new drug costs almost $1 billion dollars. A more efficient and direct way of testing whether drugs can get into and affect the eye and brain will improve drug development and enabling faster and more efficient development of medicines.

Researchers

Funding

ARC Linkage LP100200129

Research Group

Ocular Biomarker Laboratory



Faculty Research Themes

Neuroscience

School Research Themes

Neuroscience & Mental Health



Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.

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