Human visual perception changes across the lifespan that relies on changes in synaptic plasticity in the visual cortex. Anatomical studies of the visual cortex, however, suggest human V1 develops early and remains relatively constant from childhood and on. Animal models have pin-pointed specific neurobiological mechanisms that are necessary for the development of visual plasticity and receptive field properties in the visual cortex. Very little is known, however, about how those synaptic mechanisms develop in the human visual cortex to support plasticity and perception across the lifespan. This thesis addresses this gap by providing new studies on the development of those neurobiological mechanisms in postmortem human visual cortex cases that range in age from 20 days to 79 years. The main findings from this thesis support prolonged development of plasticity mechanisms in human V1 that could be characterized in 5 stages of change across the lifespan: booting up synaptic function in infancy, high neural variability in young childhood, peaks of development in older childhood, prolonged plasticity in adulthood, and return to juvenile-like state in aging. In addition, I show a contrasting development of synaptic plasticity mechanisms in V1 and extrastriate areas that suggest higher order visual perception is processed differently. I also highlight a modernized technique for isolating synaptoneurosomes in human brain that helps quantify synaptic proteins using postmortem human tissue. Together these findings aid in the translation of neurobiological mechanisms in animal models for identifying new therapeutic targets for recovery in human visual disorders and vision loss. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The ability to see the world constantly changes from birth to old age, and depends on the health and function of our brain. The visual cortex is the part of the brain that processes vision, and it is made up of millions of cells that connect to each other through billions of synapses. Fine-tuning those connections and networks in the brain leads to better vision. The ability for connections to be fine-tuned by experience is called plasticity, and it is necessary for developing good vision. This thesis addresses the development of plasticity in the human brain by measuring levels of proteins that are responsible for controlling plasticity and vision. My findings suggest that humans have a longer period of plasticity for developing good vision than previously thought. These findings will help identify new targets to rescue vision loss that occurs in aging or visual disorders across the lifespan.

Orientador: Roberto J. M. Covolan / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-14T22:08:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 UcedaOtero_EnriquePorfirio_D.pdf: 7252585 bytes, checksum: 3b003f17c9e6e0a72174f7dbd766bd36 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Resumo: A ativação cerebral envolve um complexo arranjo de processos neuronais, metabólicos e vasculares, que se estende do nível molecular e celular ao nível de extensas zonas corticais. O processo de disparo neuronal requer a restauração de gradientes iônicos e a reciclagem de neurotransmissores, o que implica em um custo energético suprido na forma de trifosfato de adenosina (ATP). A principal via de síntese do ATP é a via aeróbica e se dá pelo metabolismo oxidativo da glicose. Para tanto, o metabolismo cerebral depende de um constante suprimento de glicose e oxigênio, que é mantido pela circulação sanguínea através de uma complexa rede de vasos, que compõe o sistema vascular cerebral. A regulação desse complexo sistema neurovascular-metabólico é objeto de intensa investigação e está no centro do trabalho aqui apresentado, que visa o mapeamento do córtex visual através de uma abordagem multimodal envolvendo eletroencefalografia (EEG) e espectroscopia óptica na região do infravermelho próximo (NIRS - near infrared spectroscopy). O objetivo central deste trabalho foi o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia que permitisse a realização de medidas simultâneas da atividade neuronal, via EEG, e das alterações vasculares associadas a essas, via NIRS. Através desta técnica foi estudado o córtex visual de indivíduos adultos saudáveis, através da apresentação de estímulos modulados em frequência e em contraste. Esses experimentos foram realizados utilizando visão tanto binocular quanto monocular, sendo esta última para cada olho separadamente. Os estudos de EEG, realizados com eletrodos posicionados em O1 e O2, permitiram registrar claras alterações dos ritmos cerebrais alfa e beta em correlação com as variações de contraste e frequência do estímulo visual. As medidas ópticas, realizadas através do escalpo com optodos colocados estímulo dos eletrodos, permitiram registrar respostas hemodinâmicas bastante enfáticas, que mostraram alguma variabilidade em correlação com o contraste e a frequência dos estímulos visuais utilizados. Os resultados obtidos demonstram a viabilidade de se estudar o acoplamento neurovascular-metabólico em humanos através de uma abordagem multimodal não-invasiva, utilizando-se um sistema conjugado NIRS-EEG / Abstract: Brain activation involves a complex arrangement of neuronal, metabolic and vascular processes, which goes from molecular and cellular level to the level of extensive cortical and subcortical zones. The process of neuronal firing requires the restoration of ionic gradients and neurotransmitter recycling, which implies supplying energy in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). ATP synthesis follows mainly the aerobic way and occurs by the oxidative metabolism of glucose. Therefore, the cerebral metabolism depends on a constant supply of glucose and oxygen, which is maintained by the blood circulation through the complex networks of blood vessels that compose the cerebral vascular system. The regulation of this complex neurovascular-metabolic system is object of intense investigation and is in the center of the work presented here, that aims to investigate the human visual system through a multimodal boarding integrating electroencephalography (EEG) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The central objective of this work was the development of a methodology that would allow simultaneous measurements of the neuronal activity, via EEG, and of the vascular changes associated to these, via NIRS. Through this technique, we studied the visual cortex of healthy adults, through the presentation of stimuli modulated alternatively in frequency and contrast. These experiments were performed for both binocular and monocular vision, being the latter for both eyes. The studies of EEG were performed with electrodes positioned in O1 and O2 and allowed to register clear alterations of alpha and beta brain rhythms in correlation with the contrast and frequency variations of the visual stimulus. The optical measurements were performed through the skull with optodes placed around the electrodes and allowed to record hemodynamic responses whose variability was also related to the contrast and frequency modulations of the visual stimuli. The obtained results demonstrate the feasibility of applying a conjugated NIRS-EEG system as a multimodal approach to study the neurovascular-metabolic coupling in humans / Doutorado / Física Médica / Doutor em Ciências

Orientadores: Roberto José Maria Covolan, Rickson Coelho Mesquita / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Física Gleb Wataghin / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T21:27:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Anjos_CarlosAlessandroSilvados_D.pdf: 14228439 bytes, checksum: 3f8ec7a93c1a21bbd6147d80351b5c9b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: A atividade cerebral envolve uma complexa rede de processos neurofisiológicos cuja demanda energética requer constante aporte de glicose e oxigênio, supridos através da microcirculação sanguínea cerebral. Variações na circulação sanguínea cerebral decorrentes de ativação neuronal podem ser detectadas e registradas através da técnica óptica denominada NIRS (near infrared spectroscopy). Neste trabalho, desenvolvemos estudos sobre a aplicabilidade da técnica NIRS sob três diferentes abordagens, envolvendo indivíduos saudáveis e portadores de uma condição patológica específica. Os estudos com indivíduos saudáveis foram focados na aplicabilidade da técnica NIRS para investigar alterações hemodinâmicas associadas à estimulação do córtex visual e à realização de exercício físico. No caso envolvendo condição patológica, investigamos a aplicabilidade clínica desta mesma técnica para avaliar a perfusão cerebral de pacientes com estenose carotídea. Nos estudos sobre estimulação do córtex visual, buscou-se estabelecer uma relação entre a frequência do estímulo apresentado ao voluntário e parâmetros obtidos das curvas hemodinâmicas. Nos experimentos associados a exercícios físicos, ciclistas semiprofissionais e indivíduos fisicamente ativos realizaram testes em bicicletas simulando tipos específicos de provas, envolvendo tarefas abertas (teste progressivo) e fechadas (teste contra relógio em uma prova de 4Km), em diferentes condições (controle, ingestão de placebo ou cafeína), buscando caracterizar diferenças em aspectos da hemodinâmica cerebral a elas associadas. Por fim, nos experimentos envolvendo indivíduos com estenose carotídea, foram realizadas medidas de NIRS, durante a realização de testes de apneia com duração de 30 segundos, buscando estabelecer a aplicabilidade da técnica na avaliação clínica deste tipo de patologia. Para cada uma dessas abordagens, foram estabelecidos parâmetros associados às respostas hemodinâmicas obtidas através de tarefas e estímulos específicos, que permitiram caracterizar e quantificar os processos fisiológicos envolvidos em cada tipo de experimento, demonstrando assim a aplicabilidade da técnica NIRS para o estudo da atividade cerebral sob as condições experimentais em questão / Abstract: Brain activity involves a complex network of neurophysiological processes whose energy demand requires constant supply of glucose and oxygen which is provided by the cerebral microcirculation. Changes in cerebral blood flow due to neuronal activation can be detected and recorded by the optical technique called NIRS (near infrared spectroscopy). In this work, we developed studies on the applicability of the NIRS technique under three different approaches, involving healthy subjects and patients with a specific pathological condition. Studies in healthy subjects were focused on the applicability of the NIRS technique to investigate hemodynamic changes associated with stimulation of the visual cortex and the performance of physical exercise. In the case involving pathological condition, we investigated the clinical applicability of this same technique to evaluate cerebral perfusion in patients with carotid stenosis. In studies of stimulation of the visual cortex, we sought to establish a relationship between the frequency of the stimulus presented to volunteer and parameters obtained from the hemodynamic curves. In the experiments associated with exercise, semi-professional cyclists and physically active subjects performed tasks on bicycles simulating specific types of tests, involving open tasks (progressive test) and closed (a 4km test against the clock), under different conditions (control, placebo or caffeine intake), seeking to characterize differences in aspects of cerebral hemodynamics associated with them. Finally, in experiments involving individuals with carotid stenosis, NIRS measurements were carried out during apnea tests lasting 30 seconds, from which we sought to establish the applicability of the technique in the clinical evaluation of this type of pathology. For each of these approaches, parameters associated with the hemodynamic responses obtained by stimulation of specific tasks allowed to characterize and quantify the physiological processes involved in each type of experiment, thus demonstrating the applicability of the NIRS technique to the study of brain activity under the experimental conditions in question / Doutorado / Física / Doutor em Ciências