Fig. 5

Center-surround model of cone resilience and rod vulnerability in aging and AMD. In the top row is an en face view of help via xanthophyll carotenoid pigment (orange) and harm via soft drusen/ basal linear deposit, as shown in Fig. 1. In the bottom row help and harm are plotted on one vertical axis, positive and negative directions, respectively. a. The distribution of xanthophyll carotenoids, as shown in Fig. 1, is a focused center of help in the central macula. b The distribution of soft druse material is shown as a broad circular area of harm (see Fig. 1). c Together, help and harm make a center of foveal cone resilience on top of a surround of para- and perifoveal rod vulnerability. The resemblance of this map to the maps of photoreceptor loss in human retinal aging in Fig. 1 are striking. See text for further details. Figure prepared with assistance of Deepayan Kar MS.