Scientists enable a blind woman to see simple shapes

Date:
October 20, 2021
Source:
Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience - KNAW
Summary:
Newly published research details how a team of scientists
successfully created a form of artificial vision for a blind woman
using a brain implant.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Newly published research details how a team of scientists from the
University Miguel Herna'ndez (Spain), the Netherlands Institute of
Neuroscience (Netherlands) and the John A. Moran Eye Center at the
University of Utah (USA) successfully created a form of artificial vision
for a blind woman using a brain implant.


==========================================================================
In the article, "Visual percepts evoked with an Intracortical 96-channel Microelectrode Array inserted in human occipital cortex," published in
The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Eduardo Ferna'ndez, MD, PhD, from
the University Miguel Herna'ndez details how an array of penetrating
electrodes produced a simple form of vision for a 58-year-old blind
volunteer. The team conducted a series of experiments with the blind
volunteer in their laboratory in Elche, Spain. The results represent a
leap forward for scientists hoping to create a visual brain prosthesis
to increase independence of the blind.

Phosphenes A neurosurgeon implanted a microelectrode array composed of
100 microneedles into the visual cortex of the blind woman to both record
from and stimulate neurons located close to the electrodes. She wore
eyeglasses equipped with a miniature video camera; specialized software
encoded the visual data collected by the camera and sent it to electrodes located in the brain. The array then stimulated the surrounding neurons
to produce white points of light known as 'phosphenes' to create an image.

The blind woman was a former science teacher and had been completely
blind for 16 years at the time of the study. She had no complications
from the surgery, and researchers determined that the implant did not
impair or negatively affect brain function. With the help of the implant,
she was able to identify lines, shapes and simple letters evoked by
different patterns of stimulation. To assist her in practicing with the prosthesis, researchers created a video game with a character from the
popular television show The Simpsons. Due to her extensive involvement
and insight, she is also co-author on the article.

"These results are very exciting because they demonstrate both safety and efficacy and could help to achieve a long-held dream of many scientists,
which is the transfer information from the outside world directly to the
visual cortex of blind individuals, thereby restoring a rudimentary form
of sight," said Prof. Eduardo Ferna'ndez. He also added that "although
these preliminary results are very encouraging, we should be aware that
there are still a number of important unanswered questions and that
many problems have to be solved before a cortical visual prosthesis
can be considered a viable clinical therapy." "This new study provides proof-of-principle and demonstrate that our previous findings in monkey experiments can be translated to humans," said Prof. P.

Roelfsema, a co-author on the study. "This work is likely to become a
milestone for the development of new technologies that could transform
the treatment of blindness." "One goal of this research is to give a
blind person more mobility," said Prof.

R. A. Normann, also a co-author on the study. "It could allow them to
identify a person, doorways, or cars. It could increase independence and safety. That's what we're working toward." The research team hopes that
the next set of experiments will use a more sophisticated image encoder
system, capable of stimulating more electrodes simultaneously and to
elicit more complex visual images.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Netherlands_Institute_for_Neuroscience_-_KNAW. Original written by
Esmeralda Schemmekes. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Eduardo Ferna'ndez, Arantxa Alfaro, Cristina Soto-Sa'nchez, Pablo
Gonza'lez-Lo'pez, Antonio M. Lozano Ortega, Sebastian Pen~a,
Mari'a Dolores Grima, Alfonso Rodil, Bernardeta Go'mez, Xing Chen,
Pieter R.

Roelfsema, John D. Rolston, Tyler S. Davis, Richard
A. Normann. Visual percepts evoked with an Intracortical 96-channel
microelectrode array inserted in human occipital cortex. Journal
of Clinical Investigation, 2021; DOI: 10.1172/JCI151331 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211020140018.htm

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