The effects of temperature changes on retinal ganglion cell responses to electrical stimulation

Little is known about how the retina's response to electrical stimulation is modified by temperatures. In vitro experiments are often used to inform in vivo studies, hence it is important to understand what changes occur at physiological temperature. To investigate this, we recorded from eight RGCs in vitro at three temperatures; room temperature (24°C), 30°C and 34°C. Results show that response latencies and thresholds are reduced, bursting spike rates in response to stimulation increases, and the spiking becomes more consistently locked to the stimulus at higher temperatures.