Electrophysiological Analysis of Retinal Oscillation in Normal and Degenerated Retina

The vertebrate retina is one of the most sophisticated parts of the nervous system. It comprises five classes of neurons and one glial type cell. During development, but prior to a vertebrate's eyes opening, retinal circuits are refined by endogenous neural activity. Characteristic patterns of activity, including oscillatory activity, occur in the normal retina, whereas distinctive alternative patterns occur in abnormal retinas. In this paper, we first describe the electrophysiological and spike sorting methods used to study retinal oscillations. Next, we describe the mechanisms and functions of oscillation in the normal retina. Finally, we characterize the distinctive oscillations and abnormal spontaneous activities in the degenerative retina.