Transcorneal Electrical Stimulation Modulates Visual Pathway Function in Mice

Abstract

Due to its ability to modulate neuronal activity, electrical stimulation of the eye may be a promising therapy for preserving or restoring vision. To investigate how electrical currents can influence visual function, Transcorneal Electrical Stimulation (TES) was tested on both female and male C57BL/6 mice to evaluate its neuromodulatory effect from the retina to the cerebral cortex through visual evoked potential (VEP) and electroretinogram (ERG) recording. VEP or ERG was acquired before (baseline), immediately (t0), after 5 min (t5), and 10 min (t10) of sham (i.e., no stimulation) or TES applied on the eye of anesthetized C57BL/6 mice. Notably, TES affected neuronal activity in the visual pathway since a significant increase in VEP and ERG amplitude was detected and persisted 10 min after TES. The amplitude increase induced by TES could underlie an enhancement of neuronal excitability that may ameliorate retinal-genicular-cortical function in diseases involving the visual system.