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Neurologic state transitions in the eye and brain: Kinetics of lossand recovery of vision and consciousness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2015

TYP WHINNERY  and
ESTRELLA M. FORSTER
TYP WHINNERY*
Affiliation:
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73142
ESTRELLA M. FORSTER
Affiliation:
Mustang, Oklahoma 73064
*
*Address correspondence to: TypWhinnery, P. O. Box 720753, Oklahoma City, OK 73172. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Visual alterations, peripheral light loss (PLL) and blackout (BO), are componentsof acceleration (+Gz) induced loss of consciousness (LOC) andrecovery of consciousness (ROC). The kinetics of loss of vision (LOV) andrecovery of vision (ROV) were determined utilizing ocular pressure inducedretinal ischemia and compared to the kinetics of LOC and ROC resulting from+Gz-induced cephalic nervous system (CPNS) ischemia. The time fromself-induced retinal ischemia in completely healthy subjects (N= 104) to the onset of PLL and complete BO was measured. The timefrom release of ocular pressure, with return of normal retinal circulation, tothe time for complete recovery of visual fields was also measured. The kineticsof pressure induced LOV and ROV was compared with previously developed kineticsof +Gz-induced LOC and ROC focusing on the rapid onset, vertical arm,of the +Gz-induced LOC and ROC curves. The time from onset ofincreased ocular pressure, immediately inducing retinal ischemia, to PLL was5.04 s with the time to BO being 8.73 s. Complete recovery of the visual fieldfrom BO following release of ocular pressure, immediately abolishing retinalischemia, was 2.74 s. These results confirm experimental findings that visualloss is frequently not experienced prior to LOC during exposure to rapid onset,high levels of +Gz-stress above tolerance. Offset of pressure inducedretinal ischemia to ROV was 2.74 s, while the time from offset of+Gz-induced CPNS ischemia to ROC was 5.29 s. Recovery of retinalfunction would be predicted to be complete before consciousness is regainedfollowing +Gz-induced LOC. Ischemia onset time normalization inneurologic tissues permits comparison between different stress-induced times toaltered function. The +Gz-time tolerance curves for LOV and LOCprovide comparison and integration of neurologic state transition kinetics inthe retina and CPNS.

Keywords

NeurophysiologyOphthalmologyVisionConsciousnessAcceleration (+Gz)
Type
Research Article
Information
Visual Neuroscience , Volume 32 , 2015 , E008
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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