Effects of different patterns of light adaptation on cellular and synaptic plasticity in teleost retina: comparison of flickering and steady lights.
The importance of the pattern of light stimulus in inducing light-adaptive morphological (cellular and sub-cellular) changes in the outer retina of the carp was assessed. Thus, the effects of steady and flickering backgrounds (of the same intensity) on cone photomechanical movements (PMMs) and horizontal cell (HC) spinules were compared by quantitative measurements. For both phenomena, flickering stimuli had a significantly greater effect than steady, although the number of photons delivered by the former was one-half. The results demonstrate clearly that the pattern of light stimulus is indeed an important parameter in determining the extent of adaptation in the outer retina. The effects are discussed in relation to possible neurochemical bases of light-adaptive neural control mechanisms.
Haamedi
S N
SN
Department of Biology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, UK.
Djamgoz
M B
MB
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002347:Carps / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013569:Synapses / Q000528:radiation effects*