Visual Evoked Responses Research Articles

Assessment of brain function during stunning and killing of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Measurement of brain activity is a reliable method to determine loss of consciousness during the slaughter of terrestrial farm animals. In fish, the ability to obtain an electroencephalogram (EEG), even in unrestrained individuals, has enabled the assessment and optimization of stunning and killing methods in aquaculture. This study evaluated the effect of percussive and in-water electrical stunning in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) using the loss of visual evoked responses (VERs) as indicator of loss of consciousness. Our results show that percussive stunning with a fish bonker effectively caused permanent disruption of normal brain function when applied correctly. However, there is a risk of mis-stuns, with 20 % of the catfish showing temporarily or permanently responsiveness after stunning (i.e. presence of VERs). Exposure to an electric field strength of 13 Vrms cm−1 and a current density of 1.3 Arms dm−2 for 1 s caused immediate but, in contrast to successful percussive stunning, transient loss of VERs. Extending the exposure time to 10 s using the same electrical parameters did not affect recovery based on VERs, nor did increasing the field strength to 24 Vrms cm−1 and a current density to 2.1 Arms dm−2 using a 10 s exposure time. The recovery time was also unaffected by post-stun placement of fish in air or water. However, a 10 s shock with an electric field of 24 Vrms cm−1 and a current density of 2.1 Arms dm−2 immediately followed by decapitation, prevented recovery in 70 % of the catfish with the remaining 30 % experiencing temporary recovery (i.e. presence of VERs) for a few minutes. Our findings show that different stunning methods offer distinct advantages and limitations. Modifying the slaughter protocol in commercial catfish production, considering these methods, could significantly enhance the welfare of channel catfish during slaughter.

Effects of electrical and percussive stunning on neural, ventilatory and cardiac responses of rainbow trout

From an ethical standpoint, it is imperative that rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are humanely slaughtered, which entails that they are rendered unconscious immediately by a stunning method and remain so until death. The efficacy of electrical stunning following dewatering (i.e., in-air electrical stunning at intensities of 50 to 920 mA and durations of 5 to 30 s) and percussive stunning, both advocated as humane stunning and/or killing methods, are evaluated here for this species via the presence or absence of visually evoked responses (VERs). In addition, ventilatory and cardiac responses were evaluated to elucidate the physiological basis for the lethality of both methods. While the present study was unable to determine the capability of in-air electrical stunning to induce immediate unconsciousness, our findings revealed that irreversible stuns were induced by both in-air electrical stunning (i.e., ∼25 to 70% of individuals did not recover VERs across the various combinations of stunning intensities and/or durations) and percussive stunning (i.e., ∼100% of individuals did not recover VERs). The efficacy of in-air electrical stunning for permanently abolishing VERs was marginally, but significantly, impacted by stun intensity (i.e., explained 8% of the variation). Furthermore, due to substantial inter-specific variability and a limited sample size, significant impacts of stun intensity and/or duration on the recovery of VERs in reversibly stunned individuals were not detected in the present study (i.e., VERs recovered between <0.5 to 28.8 min). Further investigation is therefore necessary before in-air electrical stunning can be endorsed as a standalone humane slaughter method for rainbow trout. This includes determining its capacity to induce immediate unconsciousness, as well as to identify additional factors that could be modified or enhanced to improve its efficacy. Furthermore, since death following in-air electrical stunning likely entails a prolonged process involving ventilatory failure, hypoxemia, and subsequent vital organ malfunction, rather than immediate cardiac arrest or central nervous system failure, the sequential use of methods such as percussive stunning is recommended to safeguard the welfare of rainbow trout during slaughter.

Clinical features and imaging characteristics in achiasmia.

Achiasmia is a rare visual pathway maldevelopment with reduced decussation of the axons in the optic chiasm. Our aim was to investigate clinical characteristics, macular, optic nerve and brain morphology in achiasmia. A prospective, cross-sectional, observational study of 12 participants with achiasmia [8 males and 4 females; 29.6 ± 18.4 years (mean ± standard deviation)] and 24 gender-, age-, ethnicity- and refraction-matched healthy controls was done. Full ophthalmology assessment, eye movement recording, a high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of the macular and optic disc, five-channel visual-evoked responses, eye movement recordings and MRI scans of the brain and orbits were acquired. Achiasmia was confirmed in all 12 clinical participants by visual-evoked responses. Visual acuity in this group was 0.63 ± 0.19 and 0.53 ± 0.19 for the right and left eyes, respectively; most participants had mild refractive errors. All participants with achiasmia had see-saw nystagmus and no measurable stereo vision. Strabismus and abnormal head position were noted in 58% of participants. Optical coherence tomography showed optic nerve hypoplasia with associated foveal hypoplasia in four participants. In the remaining achiasmia participants, macular changes with significantly thinner paracentral inner segment (P = 0.002), wider pit (P = 0.04) and visual flattening of the ellipsoid line were found. MRI demonstrated chiasmatic aplasia in 3/12 (25%), chiasmatic hypoplasia in 7/12 (58%) and a subjectively normal chiasm in 2/12 (17%). Septo-optic dysplasia and severe bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia were found in three patients with chiasmic aplasia/hypoplasia on MRI. In this largest series of achiasmia patients to date, we found for the first time that neuronal abnormalities occur already at the retinal level. Foveal changes, optic nerve hypoplasia and the midline brain anomaly suggest that these abnormalities could be part of the same spectrum, with different manifestations of events during foetal development occurring with varying severity.

Casting a Cursory Glance at the Evoked Potentials on the Retina: A Panoptic Diagnostic of the Clinical Macrocosm

Visual sense is one of the primitive senses that has been developed evolutionarily. After all, it allows us to perceive the beauty present in our environment and allows us to interact with others. VER (visual evoked response) is the only clinically objective technique available to assess the functional state of the visual system beyond the retinal ganglion cells. Hence it can be used as a panoptic diagnostic tool in the clinical world. This article unravels the relationship between Visual evoked potentials and age, smoking, alcoholism, schizophrenia, refractive errors and glaucoma. Keywords: Visual Evoked Potentials, smoking, alcoholism, schizophrenia, refractive errors, glaucoma.

Suppression of top-down influence decreases both behavioral and V1 neuronal response sensitivity to stimulus orientations in cats.

How top-down influence affects behavioral detection of visual signals and neuronal response sensitivity in the primary visual cortex (V1) remains poorly understood. This study examined both behavioral performance in stimulus orientation identification and neuronal response sensitivity to stimulus orientations in the V1 of cat before and after top-down influence of area 7 (A7) was modulated by non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Our results showed that cathode (c) but not sham (s) tDCS in A7 significantly increased the behavioral threshold in identifying stimulus orientation difference, which effect recovered after the tDCS effect vanished. Consistently, c-tDCS but not s-tDCS in A7 significantly decreased the response selectivity bias of V1 neurons for stimulus orientations, which effect could recover after withdrawal of the tDCS effect. Further analysis showed that c-tDCS induced reduction of V1 neurons in response selectivity was not resulted from alterations of neuronal preferred orientation, nor of spontaneous activity. Instead, c-tDCS in A7 significantly lowered the visually-evoked response, especially the maximum response of V1 neurons, which caused a decrease in response selectivity and signal-to-noise ratio. By contrast, s-tDCS exerted no significant effect on the responses of V1 neurons. These results indicate that top-down influence of A7 may enhance behavioral identification of stimulus orientations by increasing neuronal visually-evoked response and response selectivity in the V1.

Periventricular nodular heterotopia is coupled with the neocortex during resting and task states.

Periventricular nodular heterotopia (PVNH) is a well-defined developmental disorder characterized by failed neuronal migration, which forms ectopic neuronal nodules along the ventricular walls. Previous studies mainly focus on clinical symptoms caused by the PVNH tissue, such as seizures. However, little is known about whether and how neurons in the PVNH tissue functionally communicate with neurons in the neocortex. To probe this, we applied magnetoencephalography (MEG) and stereo-electroencephalography (sEEG) recordings to patients with PVNH during resting and task states. By estimating frequency-resolved phase coupling strength of the source-reconstructed neural activities, we found that the PVNH tissue was spontaneously coupled with the neocortex in the α-β frequency range, which was consistent with the synchronization pattern within the neocortical network. Furthermore, the coupling strength between PVNH and sensory areas effectively modulated the local neural activity in sensory areas. In both MEG and sEEG visual experiments, the PVNH tissue exhibited visual-evoked responses, with a similar pattern and latency as the ipsilateral visual cortex. These findings demonstrate that PVNH is functionally integrated into cognition-related cortical circuits, suggesting a co-development perspective of ectopic neurons after their migration failure.

Increased Reliability of Visually-Evoked Activity in Area V1 of the MECP2-Duplication Mouse Model of Autism.

Atypical sensory processing is now thought to be a core feature of the autism spectrum. Influential theories have proposed that both increased and decreased neural response reliability within sensory systems could underlie altered sensory processing in autism. Here, we report evidence for abnormally increased reliability of visual-evoked responses in layer 2/3 neurons of adult male and female primary visual cortex in the MECP2-duplication syndrome animal model of autism. Increased response reliability was due in part to decreased response amplitude, decreased fluctuations in endogenous activity, and an abnormal decoupling of visual-evoked activity from endogenous activity. Similar to what was observed neuronally, the optokinetic reflex occurred more reliably at low contrasts in mutant mice compared with controls. Retinal responses did not explain our observations. These data suggest that the circuit mechanisms for combining sensory-evoked and endogenous signal and noise processes may be altered in this form of syndromic autism.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Atypical sensory processing is now thought to be a core feature of the autism spectrum. Influential theories have proposed that both increased and decreased neural response reliability within sensory systems could underlie altered sensory processing in autism. Here, we report evidence for abnormally increased reliability of visual-evoked responses in primary visual cortex of the animal model for MECP2-duplication syndrome, a high-penetrance single-gene cause of autism. Visual-evoked activity was abnormally decoupled from endogenous activity in mutant mice, suggesting in line with the influential "hypo-priors" theory of autism that sensory priors embedded in endogenous activity may have less influence on perception in autism.

Visual outcomes and predictors in optic pathway glioma: a single centre study.

Optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) may cause progressive visual loss despite chemotherapy. Newer, less toxic treatments might be given earlier, depending on visual prognosis. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of visual evoked potentials (VEP) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). A retrospective study of OPG patients (treated 2003-2017) was conducted. Primary outcome was PEDIG category visual acuity in better and worse eyes (good < = 0.2, moderate 0.3-0.6 and poor > = 0.7 logMAR). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of these outcomes. 60 patients (32 Neurofibromatosis type 1 [NF1] and 28 sporadic) had median presentation age 49 months (range 17-183) (NF1) and 27 months (range 4-92) (sporadic). Median follow up was 82 months (range 12-189 months). At follow up 24/32 (75%) of NF1 children and 14/28 (50%) of sporadic children had good better eye visual acuity and 11/32 (34%) of NF1 children and 15/28 (54%) of sporadics had poor worse eye acuity. Mean peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness predicted good better eye final acuity (OR 0.799, 95%CI 0.646-0.987, p = 0.038). Presenting with visual symptoms (OR 0.22 95% CI 0.001-0.508, p = 0.017) and poorer VEP scores (OR 2.35 95% CI 1.1-5.03, p = 0.027) predicted poor worse eye final acuity. 16 children had homonymous hemianopias at follow up, predicted by poor presenting binocular VEP score (OR 1.449 95%CI 1.052-1.995, p = 0.02). We found that both RNFL thickness on OCT and VEP were useful in predicting future visual acuity and vision and potentially in planning treatment. We had a high prevalence of homonymous hemianopia.

Assessing the effectiveness of percussive and electrical stunning in rainbow trout: Does an epileptic-like seizure imply brain failure?

Both percussive and electrical stunning have been highlighted as methods that can be used to quickly render fish unconscious before being killed. However, accurately assessing unconsciousness in animals following stunning remains challenging, and thus methods for reliable interpretation and validation of different stunning methods are urgently needed. Here, we used a non-invasive technique to continuously record electroencephalograms (EEG) of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) enabling us to compare the effects of both percussive stunning, using a captive bolt gun, and various combinations of electrical stun parameters delivered in water. The EEG signals were assessed for the absence or presence of an epileptic-like seizure and for visually evoked responses (VERs). No epileptic-like seizures or VERs were observed after captive bolt stunning. We found that it is possible to reliably induce an epileptic-like seizure and an immediate, but short lasting, loss of VERs following a 1 s exposure to an electrical field strength of at least 2.8 VRMS cm−1 and current density of 0.22 ARMS dm−2 in water of conductivity of ~1000 μS cm−1 using a 50 Hz AC current. However, to avoid recovery of VERs shortly after the stun, it was necessary to increase the duration of the stun application (≥30 s), the electrical field strength (10.2 VRMS cm−1) and the current density (0.84 ARMS dm−2 respectively). We found no clear relationship between presence and absence of ventilation and VERs following electrical stunning in rainbow trout, highlighting that loss of ventilation may not be a good indicator of brain failure in rainbow trout. Our results clearly show that the presence of an epileptic-like seizure following an electrical stun does not guarantee a prolonged period where the fish is unresponsive to visual stimulation (i.e. absence of VERs). It was further found that VERs can return before the end of the seizure. As both presence of a seizure and absence of VERs have been used independently as indicators of unconsciousness in fish, we emphasize the necessity to carefully consider and evaluate the reliability of neurophysiological indicators of unconsciousness when validating methods to stun fish.

Relationships between cerebrovascular reactivity, visual-evoked functional activity, and resting-state functional connectivity in the visual cortex and basal forebrain in glaucoma.

Glaucoma is primarily considered an eye disease with widespread involvements of the brain. Yet, it remains unclear how cerebrovasculature is regulated in glaucoma and how different brain regions coordinate functionally across disease severity. To address these questions, we applied a novel whole-brain relative cerebrovascular reactivity (rCVR) mapping technique using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) without gas challenges to 38 glaucoma patients and 21 healthy subjects. The relationships between rCVR, visual-evoked fMRI response, and resting-state functional connectivity in glaucoma were then established. In the visual cortex, rCVR has a decreasing trend with glaucoma severity (p<0.05), and is coupled with visual-evoked response and functional connectivity in both hemispheres (p<0.001). Interestingly, rCVR in the basal forebrain (BF) has an increasing trend with glaucoma severity (p<0.05). The functional connectivity between right diagonal band of Broca (a sub-region of BF) and lateral visual cortex decreases with glaucoma (p<0.05), while such connectivity is inversely coupled with rCVR in the BF (p<0.05), but not the visual cortex. Overall, we demonstrate opposite trends of rCVR changes in the visual cortex and BF in glaucoma patients, suggestive of compensatory actions in vascular reserve between the two brain regions. The neurovascular coupling within the visual cortex appears deteriorated in glaucoma, whereas the association between BF-visual cortex functional connectivity and rCVR of BF indicates the functional and vascular involvements in glaucoma beyond the primary visual pathway.

Bee sting presumed endophthalmitis: a devastating ocular outcome

BackgroundTo report a rare case of bee sting presumed endophthalmitis that resulted in a devastating ocular outcome.Case presentationA 43-year-old patient presented 24 h after bee sting ocular injury in his left eye. He had a mild inflammatory sign at presentation, and he underwent surgical exploration to rule out a scleral defect, which revealed a sealed defect. During his hospital course, he developed signs of endophthalmitis 48 h following trauma for which he received vitreous tap and intravitreal antibiotic. Microbial culture revealed gram-negative rods, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Aeromonas veronii. Condition escalated to reach the panophthalmitis stage and cellulitis like picture with visual acuity of no light perception. Visual evoked response (VER) demonstrated a flat response. Infection was controlled by evisceration of the globe at the end as salvage therapy against the spreading of infectionConclusionsBee sting ocular injury is an exceedingly rare type of ocular trauma. Concomitant infection can happen, and severity depends on the pathogen involved. It is crucial to have insight and start appropriate treatment based on to the patient presentation.

The use of broad vs restricted regions of interest in functional near-infrared spectroscopy for measuring cortical activation to auditory-only and visual-only speech

As an alternative to fMRI, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a relatively new tool for observing cortical activation. However, spatial resolution is reduced compared to fMRI and often the exact locations of fNIRS optodes and specific anatomical information is not known. The aim of this study was to explore the location and range of specific regions of interest that are sensitive to detecting cortical activation using fNIRS in response to auditory- and visual-only connected speech.Two approaches to a priori region-of-interest selection were explored. First, broad regions corresponding to the auditory cortex and occipital lobe were analysed. Next, the fNIRS Optode Location Decider (fOLD) tool was used to divide the auditory and visual regions into two subregions corresponding to distinct anatomical structures. The Auditory-A and -B regions corresponded to Heschl's gyrus and planum temporale, respectively. The Visual-A region corresponded to the superior occipital gyrus and the cuneus, and the Visual-B region corresponded to the middle occipital gyrus. The experimental stimulus consisted of a connected speech signal segmented into 12.5-sec blocks and was presented in either an auditory-only or visual-only condition.Group-level results for eight normal-hearing adult participants averaged over the broad regions of interest revealed significant auditory-evoked activation for both the left and right broad auditory regions of interest. No significant activity was observed for any other broad region of interest in response to any stimulus condition. When divided into subregions, there was a significant positive auditory-evoked response in the left and right Auditory-A regions, suggesting activation near the primary auditory cortex in response to auditory-only speech. There was a significant positive visual-evoked response in the Visual-B region, suggesting middle occipital gyrus activation in response to visual-only speech. In the Visual-A region, however, there was a significant negative visual-evoked response. This result suggests a significant decrease in oxygenated hemoglobin in the superior occipital gyrus as well as the cuneus in response to visual-only speech. Distinct response characteristics, either positive or negative, in adjacent subregions within the temporal and occipital lobes were fairly consistent on the individual level.Results suggest that temporal regions near Heschl's gyrus may be the most advantageous location in adults for identifying hemodynamic responses to complex auditory speech signals using fNIRS. In the occipital lobe, regions corresponding to the facial processing pathway may prove advantageous for measuring positive responses to visual speech using fNIRS.

Bulk Dye Loading for In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Visual Responses in Populations of Xenopus Tectal Neurons.

Bulk loading of neurons with fluorescent calcium indicators in transparent albino Xenopus tadpoles offers a rapid and easy method for tracking sensory-evoked activity in large numbers of neurons within an awake developing brain circuit. In vivo two-photon time-lapse imaging of an image plane through the optic tectum allows defining receptive field properties from visual-evoked responses for studies of single-neuron and network-level encoding and plasticity. Here, we describe loading the Xenopus tadpole optic tectum with the membrane-permeable AM ester of Oregon Green 488 BAPTA-1 (OGB-1 AM) for in vivo imaging experiments.

Stochastic resonance and 'gamma band' synchronization in the human visual system.

Cortical synchronization in the gamma-frequency range (above ~30.0 Hz) and the signal/noise interplay described by stochastic resonance models have been proposed as basic mechanisms in neuronal synchronization and sensory information processing, particularly in vision. Here we report an observation in humans of linear and inverted-U distributions of the electrophysiological (EEG) responses to visual contrast stimulation in the gamma band and in the low frequency components of the visual evoked responses (VER), respectively. The combination of linear and inverted-U distributions is described by a stochastic resonance model (SR). The observation needs replication in larger subjects’ samples. It nevertheless adds to the available evidence of a role of gamma oscillatory signals and SR mechanisms in neuronal synchronization and visual processing. Some functional adaptation in human vision appears conceivable and further investigation is warranted.

Pre-stimulus alpha-band power and phase fluctuations originate from different neural sources and exert distinct impact on stimulus-evoked responses.

Ongoing oscillatory neural activity before stimulus onset influences subsequent visual perception. Specifically, both the power and the phase of oscillations in the alpha-frequency band (9-13Hz) have been reported to predict the detection of visual stimuli. Up to now, the functional mechanisms underlying pre-stimulus power and phase effects on upcoming visual percepts are debated. Here, we used magnetoencephalography recordings together with a near-threshold visual detection task to investigate the neural generators of pre-stimulus power and phase and their impact on subsequent visual-evoked responses. Pre-stimulus alpha-band power and phase opposition effects were found consistent with previous reports. Source localization suggested clearly distinct neural generators for these pre-stimulus effects: Power effects were mainly found in occipital-temporal regions, whereas phase effects also involved prefrontal areas. In order to be functionally relevant, the pre-stimulus correlates should influence post-stimulus processing. Using a trial-sorting approach, we observed that only pre-stimulus power modulated the Hits versus Misses difference in the evoked response, a well-established post-stimulus neural correlate of near-threshold perception, such that trials with stronger pre-stimulus power effect showed greater post-stimulus difference. By contrast, no influence of pre-stimulus phase effects were found. In sum, our study shows distinct generators for two pre-stimulus neural patterns predicting visual perception, and that only alpha power impacts the post-stimulus correlate of conscious access. This underlines the functional relevance of prestimulus alpha power on perceptual awareness, while questioning the role of alpha phase.

Humane slaughter of African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus): Effects of various stunning methods on brain function

Common slaughter procedures for African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) include asphyxiation, ice chilling and exsanguination, which may all cause substantial suffering over prolonged periods of time before death. Therefore, comprehensive evaluations of potentially more humane slaughter procedures for this species are urgently needed. Here, we use a non-invasive electroencephalographic (EEG) method to assess the state of sensibility in African sharptooth catfish in response to various stunning methods (e.g. ice chilling, electrical stunning, electrical stunning followed by exsanguination, percussive stunning, and immersion in isoeugenol). Based on the abolition of visually evoked responses (VERs) on the EEG, ice slurry immersion induced insensibility between 2.6 and 7.6 min, during which catfish exhibited aversive behaviours. Once VERs were lost, they remained absent so long as catfish remained immersed in the ice slurry. Electrical stunning (i.e. exposure to ~1.7 A dm−2 at a water conductivity of ~997 μS cm−1) induced insensibility immediately but not irreversibly. Depending on the duration of the stun (i.e. from 1 to 10 s), catfish either regained VERs immediately or within 4.9 min after the completion of the electrical insult. However, when a 10 s electrical stun was immediately followed by exsanguination and immersion in an ice slurry, the duration of insensibility was sufficient to humanely kill catfish. When administered correctly, manual percussive stunning with a fish priest induced insensibility immediately and irreversibly. However, 36% of catfish regained VERs, which is likely explained by the difficulty associated with administering an accurate manual percussive stun of sufficient force on a live and struggling catfish. Catfish appeared to be sedated following immersion in isoeugenol (i.e. catfish were calm and easy to handle), yet VERs remained present at doses exceeding that recommended for euthanasia in salmonids, which indicates that this substance may not be suitable for stunning catfish. However, the potential for using isoeugenol as a pre-stunning sedative for improving handleability and reducing handling stress of this species warrants further investigation. In conclusion, this study clearly demonstrates that when singularly administered, none of the abovementioned stunning methods could reliably induce insensibility immediately and/or irreversibly without welfare implications. Yet, our findings indicate that these shortcomings can be resolved by using a combination of methods. This could include an electrical or percussive stun to immediately induce insensibility that should be immediately followed by exsanguination and immersion in an ice slurry to maintain insensibility until death.

Evaluation of the reliability of indicators of consciousness during CO2stunning of rainbow trout and the effects of temperature

A two-part experiment was conducted to determine whether visual indicators of consciousness such as equilibrium, eye-roll reflex and ventilation are reliable for evaluating whether CO2 stunning of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is humane. In part 1, the time taken until the loss of visual indicators in rainbow trout during CO2 stunning was monitored under field conditions at 14, 8 and 2 degrees C. Here, we clearly demonstrate that it takes longer for visual indicators to disappear as temperature decreases, with significant differences in the time taken until the loss of equilibrium between 2 and 14 degrees C, and significant differences between all temperatures in the time taken until the loss of eye-roll reflex and ventilation. In part 2, rainbow trout were equipped with external non-invasive electrodes for recording EEG prior to, and following, CO2 stunning to assess the presence or absence of visually evoked responses (VERs), which are indicative of brain function and sensibility. The resulting EEG recordings during CO2 stunning at 10 degrees C demonstrated a poor relationship between visual indicators of consciousness and loss of sensibility, as VERs were present up to 3.5 min after ventilation was lost and up to 6.5 min after the fish lost equilibrium. Collectively, these results show that cold-water temperatures prolong the time taken until loss of consciousness and that visual indicators are insufficient for determining when sensibility is lost in rainbow trout during CO2 stunning.

Prospective study to evaluate incidence and indicators for early detection of ethambutol toxicity

AimsTo evaluate incidence of toxic optic neuropathy in patients receiving ethambutol (EMB) for 6 months and to identify its early indicators.MethodsWe included 50 patients on anti-tubercular therapy (ATT) including EMB...

Tracking evoked responses to auditory and visual stimuli in fetuses exposed to maternal high-risk conditions.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) has been successfully applied to record fetal auditory (auditory evoked response [AER]) and visual evoked responses (VER). In this study, we report the AER and VER development trajectory by tracking the evoked response detectability and latency from recordings starting at 27weeks of gestation in pregnancies classified as high risk. Fetal MEG and ultrasound recordings were performed on 158 pregnant women, and the total number of fetal auditory and visual tests conducted was 321 and 237, respectively. The overall evoked response analysis showed 237 AER (73.8%) and 164 VER detections (69.2%). The mean AER latency was 290.7 (SD 125.5) ms and the mean VER latency was 293.7 (SD 114.5) ms. The rate of decrease (95% confidence limits) in average AER and VER first-peak latency between 100-350ms was 1.97 (-1.86, +5.81) ms/week and 1.35 (-3.83, +6.53) ms/week, respectively. This trend in high-risk fetuses conforms to the general trajectory of decrease in latency with gestational age progression, even though this decrease was non-significant, as reported in the case of normal growing fetuses. Although there was a significant difference in detection rates between male and female fetuses, this was not reflected in either latency values or the sensory modality applied. Furthermore, the main factors that had the most significant effect on response detectability included the presence of intervening layers of adipose tissue between the fetal head and stimulus source and an increase in the maternal body mass index.

Is humane slaughtering of rainbow trout achieved in conventional production chains in Germany? Results of a pilot field and laboratory study

BackgroundRainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, is an important fish in European freshwater aquaculture. This industry sector is dominated by small family-owned enterprises located in rural areas. A large percentage of rainbow trout produced by these small enterprises is marketed directly and killed on demand and not processed in commercial processing plants. EU and national regulations stipulate that fish shall be stunned prior to killing and slaughter. The overall objective of this study was to monitor how stunning interventions were integrated into the production chains of German conventional trout aquaculture in order to safeguard animal welfare during stunning and killing. For this, the stunning and slaughtering processes were monitored on 18 rainbow trout farms in various German federal states. During the on-farm research, (i) the stunning success, (ii) injuries related to the stunning procedure, (iii) duration between stunning and killing, and (iv) visible responses at the time of slaughtering were assessed as welfare indicators. In addition, haematological and biochemical blood parameters were measured as indicators for physiological stress. Due to the fact that stunning interventions should induce a loss of consciousness in fish, in a laboratory study, it was examined whether the absence of the brainstem/ behavioural responses, opercular movements (OM) or eye-rolling reflex (vestibulo-ocular reflex, VOR) was correlated with the stage of insensibility.ResultsThe majority of rainbow trout farms applied manual percussion (38%) or electrical stunning (48%), while on 14% of the farms, the fish were stunned by electrical stunning which was immediately followed by manual percussion. After percussive stunning, about 92.3% of the rainbow trout displayed no OM or VOR as brainstem/ behavioural indicators of consciousness. This percentage varied on farms which applied electrical stunning. While on the majority of farms, 95 to 100% of the fish were unconscious according to the observation of brainstem/ behavioural indicators, the stunning intervention was less effective on farms where rainbow trout were stunned at current densities below 0.1 A dm2 or for a few seconds only. The laboratory study confirmed that the absence of brainstem/ behavioural indicators correlated with the absence of visually evoked responses (VER) of the brain to light stimuli as a neuronal indicator of insensibility. Therefore, the brainstem/ behavioural signs can be used to interpret the stage of insensibility in rainbow trout. A stage of insensibility could safely be induced by exposing portion-sized rainbow trout to an electric current density above 0.1 A dm2. This was not influenced by the orientation of the electric field.ConclusionsIn conventional aquaculture, rainbow trout can effectively be stunned by manual percussion or electrical stunning. Consciousness can be monitored by the absence of opercular movements or the eye-rolling reflex, which are lost approximately at the same time as neurological responses like VER. For safeguarding animal welfare during stunning and killing of rainbow trout in conventional production processes, the stunning process requires careful attention and the operating personnel need to be trained in using the stunning devices and recognising indicators of consciousness.