Electroencephalogram power alterations in retinal degeneration mice after prolonged transcorneal electrical stimulation

Abstract

To study electroencephalogram (EEG) power alterations in the brain of retinal degenerate (RD) models, wild type (WT) and RD mice were used in the experiments. The spontaneous neural activity in visual (Vcx) and pre-frontal (PFx) cortices was recorded from the cranium before and after prolonged transcorneal electrical stimulation (pTES). Three weeks after initial post-stimulation recording (stage one), spontaneous neural activity was recorded (post-stimulation stage two recording). Spontaneous EEG band power was determined during the pre- and post-stimulation stages in awake and anesthetized states of both control and experimental groups. The results showed that pTES possibly activates Vcx and PFx thus caused an increased trend in spontaneous EEG band power of awake RD mice. In this regard, delta band was the most dominant band in Vcx and PFx and significantly (p<0.05) had the highest spontaneous EEG power compared to other bands. Three weeks after initial post pTES recording, Vcx and PFx maintained increased spontaneous activity in only delta band of awake RD mice. With the crucial roles slow wave delta oscillations have been reported to play in neuroplasticity, our results could indicate a neuroplastic effect of pTES.