Assessing Functional Visual Recovery After Retinal Regeneration in Zebrafish Using the Optokinetic Response (OKR)
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Zebrafish have a unique ability to regenerate retinal neurons through Müller glia-mediated reprogramming, a process not found in mammals. While structural regeneration has been extensively documented, the degree to which regenerated photoreceptors restore functional vision remains unclear. The optokinetic response (OKR), a reflexive eye-tracking behavior triggered by moving visual stimuli, provides a quantitative, non-invasive method to assess visual performance. This study aims to determine whether photoreceptor regeneration following acute and chronic light-induced injury results in functional restoration of vision. Adult zebrafish will be divided into three groups: uninjured control, acute injury (short-term high-intensity light), and chronic injury (long-term low-intensity light). OKR testing will be conducted at baseline and on days 1, 5, 10, 14, and 28 post-injury using a custom setup presenting rotating gratings of varying spatial frequencies and contrasts. Eye movements will be recorded via high-resolution video and analyzed for saccade frequency, pursuit gain, contrast sensitivity, and spatial resolution thresholds. It is anticipated that the acute injury group will exhibit rapid and near-complete recovery by day 28, whereas the chronic injury group will show delayed and incomplete recovery, with persistent deficits in gain and resolution, indicating limited CNS reintegration. Quantitative OKR analysis provides a functional measure of visual recovery following retinal regeneration. Comparing acute and chronic injury paradigms will clarify the link between cellular repair and restored vision, advancing translational understanding of regeneration-based therapies for retinal degenerative diseases.
Source: Human Biology
Author: alavi, yeganeh tabatabaei
Institution: Wayne State University
Language: English
Subfield: Ophthalmology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7149874808