Diseases of the retina and optic nerve are common causes of irreversible blindness. Given the lack of effective treatments, several laboratories are utilizing microelectronic technology to develop either a cortical or retinal prosthesis. Each strategy offers certain advantages, but both face numerous and formidable chal lenges. Consequently, a clinically useful device of either type is still conceptual. The technological means to build prostheses are available, but the ultimate obstacle is the integration of the technology with the brain. This article reviews achievements of the ongoing efforts and focuses on our project to develop a retinal prosthesis. NEUROSCIENTIST 3:251-262, 1997
Dobelle WH, Mladejovsky MG, Evans JK, Roberts TS, Girvin JP"Braille" reading by a blind volunteer by visual cortex stimulation . Nature1976;259:111-112.
6.
Bak M., Girvin JP, Hambrecht FT, Kufta CV, Loeb GE, Schmidt EMVisual sensations produced by mtracortical microstimulation of the human occipital cortex. Med Biol Eng Comput1980;28: 257-259.
7.
Schmidt EM, Bak MJ, Hambrecht FT, Kufta CV, O'Rourke DK, Ballabhanath P.Feasibility of a visual prosthesis for the blind based on intracortical microstimulation of the visual cortex. Brain1996;119:507-522.
8.
Jones KE, Campbell PK, Normann RA A glass/silicon composite intracortical electrode array . Ann Biomed Eng1992;20:423-437.
9.
Rousche PJ, Normann RAA method for pneumatically inserting an array of penetrating electrodes into cortical tissue. Ann Biomed Eng1992;20:413-422.
10.
Norhausen C. , Menard EM, Normann RA Single unit recording capabilities of a 100 microelectrode array . Brain Res1996,726. 129-140.
11.
Horton JC, Hoyt WFThe representation of the visual field in human striate cortex. Arch Ophthalmol1991;109:816-824.
12.
Schem SJAnatomy of macaque fovea and spatial densities of neurons in foveal representation . J Comp Neurol1988;269:479-505.
13.
Stone JL, Barlow WE, Humayun MS, de Juan E., Milam AHMorphometric analysis of macular photoreceptors and ganglion cells in retinas with retimtis pigmentosa. Arch Ophthalmol1992, 110:1634-1639.
14.
Humayun MS, de Juan E., Dagnelie G., Greenberg RJ, Propst RH, Phillips DHVisual perception elicited by electrical stimulation of retina in blind humans . Arch Ophthalmol1996;114:40-46.
15.
Humayun M., Propst R., de Juan E., McCormick K., Hickingbotham D.Bipolar surface stimulation of the vertebrate retina. Arch Ophthalmol1994;112:110-116.
16.
Brivanlou IH , Meister M.Direct photostimulation of retinal ganglion cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1995;36:S932.
17.
Bush RA, Hawks KW, Sieving PAPreservation of inner retinal responses in the aged Royal College of Surgeons rat. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1995;36:2054-2062.
18.
Curcio CA, Medeiros NE, Millican CLPhotoreceptor loss in age-related macular degeneration. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1996;37: 1236-1249.
19.
Berson ELRetinitis pigmentosa. The Fnedenwald lecture. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1993;34:1659-1676.
20.
Chow AY, Chow VY, Peachey NSCharge densities needed for induction of retinal and cortical potentials by stimulation with sub-retinal electrodes and implanted semiconductor microphotodiode arrays. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1996;37:S349.
21.
Wyatt J., Rizzo J.Ocular implants for the blind. IEEE Spectrum May1996;33:47-53.
22.
Wyatt J., Mann J., Edell D., Raffel J., Rizzo JFDevelopment of a silicon retinal implant: demonstration of microelectronic system for optic transmission of signal and power. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1994;35:1380.
23.
Rizzo J., Miller S., Denison T., Wyatt J.Electncally-evoked cortical potentials from stimulation of rabbit retina with a microfabricated electrode array. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1996;37:S707.
24.
Grumet AEExtracellular electrical stimulation of retinal ganglion cells [thesis] . Cambridge (MA): Massachusetts Institute of Technology1994.
25.
Jensen R., Rizzo JF, Grumet AE, Edell D., Wyatt JLSingle unit recording following extracellular electrical stimulation of rabbit retinal ganglion bodies. MIT Research Laboratory of Electronics , Report No. 600, 1996.
26.
Ranck JBWhich elements are excited in electrical stimulation of mammalian central us system: a review. Brain Res1975 ;98: 417-440.
Streilein JWOcular immune privilege and the Faustian dilemma. The Proctor lecture. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1996;37:1940-1950.
29.
Dawson WW, Radtke NDEvaluation of microelectronics chronically implanted on the retina . Doc Ophthalmol1977;12;357-362.
30.
Duckert LG, Miller JMMorphological changes following cochlear implantation. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1984;Suppl 411: 28-37.
31.
Rizzo J., Miller S., Wyatt J.Development of a silicon retmal implant : long-term biocompatibility of matenals . Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci1995 ;36:S746.
