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Cited by 107Neuroscience and Neural EngineeringNeurology and Historical StudiesEEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces

Electrical stimulation of the brain and the development of cortical visual prostheses: an historical perspective

Open access
Lewis, Philip M., Rosenfeld, Jeffrey V.·2016·Brain Research
DOI 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.08.038
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Abstract

Rapid advances are occurring in neural engineering, bionics and the brain-computer interface. These milestones have been underpinned by staggering advances in micro-electronics, computing, and wireless technology in the last three decades. Several cortically-based visual prosthetic devices are currently being developed, but pioneering advances with early implants were achieved by Brindley followed by Dobelle in the 1960s and 1970s. We have reviewed these discoveries within the historical context of the medical uses of electricity including attempts to cure blindness, the discovery of the visual cortex, and opportunities for cortex stimulation experiments during neurosurgery. Further advances were made possible with improvements in electrode design, greater understanding of cortical electrophysiology and miniaturisation of electronic components. Human trials of a new generation of prototype cortical visual prostheses for the blind are imminent. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Hold Item.

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  • The distance between epicortical electrodes and neurons reduces the spatial resolution of artificial vision, and high currents might be unsafe due to the risk of seizures.

    “This distance reduces the spatial resolution of artificial vision [99], and high currents might be unsafe due to the risk of seizures [88].”

    From Advances in visual prostheses: engineering and biological challenges (2022) · cites this paper as [88]

  • The first cortical prosthesis had only four intracortical electrodes but was able to evoke some visual percepts in the subject.

    “The first cortical prosthesis had only four intracortical electrodes [86,87] but was able to evoke some visual percepts in the subject [88].”

    From Advances in visual prostheses: engineering and biological challenges (2022) · cites this paper as [88]

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Research works printed but not linked: 15

  1. Brindley, G.S., 1971. Report to the conference on visual prosthesis. In: Sterling, T., Bering, J.E.D., Pollack, S., Vaughan, J.H.G. (Eds.), Vis. Prosthesis: The Interdisciplinary Dialogue. Academic Press, New York, pp. 41-48.
  2. Brindley, G.S., Rushton, D.N., 1974. Implanted stimulators of the visual cortex as visual prosthetic devices. Trans. Am. Acad. Ophth. Otol. 78, 741-745.
  3. Brodmann, K., 1909. Vergleichende Lokalisationslehre der Großhirnrinde (Localisation in the Cerebral Cortex, Trans: Garey LJ). Springer, New York.
  4. E. Licht, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
  5. Kotler, S., 2002. Vision quest. Wired Magazine, vol. 2012. Conde ´ Nast, San Francisco.
  6. Marg, E., 1971. Some design aspects of a visual prosthetic system. In: Sterling, T., Bering, J.E.D., Pollack, S., Vaughan, J.H.G. (Eds.), Vis. Prosthesis: The Interdisciplinary Dialogue. Academic Press, New York, pp. 216-240.
  7. Newman, H., Fender, F., Saunders, W., 1937. High frequency transmission of stimulating impulses. Surgery 2, 359-362.
  8. Oakley, D., 2011a. The Strange Case of Dr. Button, Part I: I Receive an Unexpected Letter. In Search of the Self: The Riddle of Personal Existence. Eyrie Press, Las Vegas, 142-158.
  9. Oakley, D., 2011b. The Strange Case of Dr. Button, Part II: The Future of "Electronic Vision". In Search of the Self: The Riddle of Personal Existence. Eyrie Press, Las Vegas, 159-181.
  10. Pollen, D.A., 1975. Some perceptual effects of electrical stimula- tion of the visual cortex in man. In: Tower, D.B. (Ed.), The Nervous System, Vol. 2: The Clinical NeurosciencesRaven Press, New York, pp. 519-528.
  11. Schimmel, H., Vaughan Jr., H., 1971. Design of a prosthetic system. In: Sterling, T., Bering, J.E.D., Pollack, S., Vaughan, J.H. G. (Eds.), Vis. Prosthesis: The Interdisciplinary Dialogue. Aca- demic Press, New York, pp. 216-240.
  12. Sterling, T., 1971. Prologue. In: Sterling, T., Bering, J.E.D., Pollack, S., Vaughan, J.H.G. (Eds.), Vis. Prosthesis: The Interdisciplinary Dialogue. Academic Press, New York, pp. xiii-xviii.
  13. Sterling, T.D., Weinkam, J.J., 1971. Preprocessing of sensed informa- tion for analysis and display. In: Sterling, T., Bering, J.E.D., Pollack, S., Vaughan, J.H.G. (Eds.), Vis. Prosthesis: The Interdisciplinary Dialogue. Academic Press, New York, pp. 145-156.
  14. Robert H. Pudenz, MD. vol. 2012. The Society of Neurological Surgeons.
  15. Vaughan Jr., H., Schimmel, H., 1970. Feasibility of Electrocortical Visual Prosthesis. In: Clarke, L. (Ed.), Research Bulletin, vol. 21. The American Foundation for the Blind, New York, pp. 1-47.

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Authors
Lewis, P. M., & Rosenfeld, J. V.
Affiliations
  • The Alfred Hospital (AU)
  • Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (US)
Corresponding author
Rosenfeld, Jeffrey V.
ORCID
Rosenfeld, Jeffrey V.
Venue
Brain Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-01
Volume
1630
Pages
208-224
ISSN
0006-8993 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.brainres.2015.08.038
OpenAlex
W1684228742
Cited by
107
References
141
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 3
FWCI
0.56
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Brain Research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Neurology and Historical Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
Keywords
electrical brain stimulation, blindness, visual cortex, electrode design, cortical electrophysiology, brain-computer interface, neural engineering, biomimetics, human trials
MeSH terms
Animals, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Humans, Prosthesis Design, Visual Cortex, History, 18th Century, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Visual Prosthesis

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