Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation

The balance between cortical excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) in the cerebral cortex is critical for cognitive processing and neuroplasticity. Modulation of this balance has been linked to a wide range of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. The human visual system has well-diffe...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Ávila, Francisco J.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Zaragoza
Repositorio:Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragoza
OAI Identifier:oai:zaguan.unizar.es:162442
Acceso en línea:http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/162442
Access Level:acceso abierto
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spelling Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light StimulationÁvila, Francisco J.The balance between cortical excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) in the cerebral cortex is critical for cognitive processing and neuroplasticity. Modulation of this balance has been linked to a wide range of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. The human visual system has well-differentiated magnocellular (M) and parvocellular (P) pathways, which provide a useful model to study cortical excitability using non-invasive visual flicker stimulation. We present an Arduino-driven non-image forming system to deliver controlled flickering light stimuli at different frequencies and wavelengths. By triggering the critical flicker fusion (CFF) frequency, we attempt to modulate the M-pathway activity and attenuate P-pathway responses, in parallel with induced optical scattering. EEG recordings were used to monitor cortical excitability and oscillatory dynamics during visual stimulation. Visual stimulation in the CFF, combined with induced optical scattering, selectively enhanced magnocellular activity and suppressed parvocellular input. EEG analysis showed a modulation of cortical oscillations, especially in the high frequency beta and gamma range. Our results support the hypothesis that visual flicker in the CFF, in addition to spatial degradation, initiates detectable neuroplasticity and regulates cortical excitation and inhibition. These findings suggest new avenues for therapeutic manipulation through visual pathways in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, severe depression, and schizophrenia.2025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttp://zaguan.unizar.es/record/162442reponame:Zaguán. Repositorio Digital de la Universidad de Zaragozainstname:Universidad de ZaragozaInglésinfo:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E44-23Rinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:zaguan.unizar.es:1624422026-05-29T13:59:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
title Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
spellingShingle Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
Ávila, Francisco J.
title_short Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
title_full Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
title_fullStr Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
title_full_unstemmed Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
title_sort Visual Neuroplasticity: Modulating Cortical Excitability with Flickering Light Stimulation
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Ávila, Francisco J.
author Ávila, Francisco J.
author_facet Ávila, Francisco J.
author_role author
description The balance between cortical excitation and inhibition (E/I balance) in the cerebral cortex is critical for cognitive processing and neuroplasticity. Modulation of this balance has been linked to a wide range of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. The human visual system has well-differentiated magnocellular (M) and parvocellular (P) pathways, which provide a useful model to study cortical excitability using non-invasive visual flicker stimulation. We present an Arduino-driven non-image forming system to deliver controlled flickering light stimuli at different frequencies and wavelengths. By triggering the critical flicker fusion (CFF) frequency, we attempt to modulate the M-pathway activity and attenuate P-pathway responses, in parallel with induced optical scattering. EEG recordings were used to monitor cortical excitability and oscillatory dynamics during visual stimulation. Visual stimulation in the CFF, combined with induced optical scattering, selectively enhanced magnocellular activity and suppressed parvocellular input. EEG analysis showed a modulation of cortical oscillations, especially in the high frequency beta and gamma range. Our results support the hypothesis that visual flicker in the CFF, in addition to spatial degradation, initiates detectable neuroplasticity and regulates cortical excitation and inhibition. These findings suggest new avenues for therapeutic manipulation through visual pathways in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, severe depression, and schizophrenia.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
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url http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/162442
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
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dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/E44-23R
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instname_str Universidad de Zaragoza
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