Summary
The extent of the spread of axonal degeneration was investigated in the visual cortex of the cat after making small lesions restricted to the grey matter. Two series of experiments were undertaken. In the first, normal adult cats were used, and in the second, the cortex of the postlateral gyrus was isolated from its extrinsic afferents by surgical undercutting 3 months before making the lesions. The results were similar in the two series in most respects. 1. Horizontal fibres extended in considerable numbers for some 500 μm from the lesion, mainly in layers I, III/IV and V, a few reaching 2–3 mm. These fibres were better seen in the intact than in the isolated cortex. Their spread was usually asymmetrical, being greater posteromedially than anterolaterally. 2. Oblique axons ran downwards from the middle layers into layers V and VI, or upwards into layers I and II. 3. Axons arising from layers II to VI descended vertically into the white matter. Degeneration patterns after lesions in areas 17 and 18 were compared.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albus, K.: Predominance of monocularly driven cells in the projection area of the central visual field in cat's striate cortex. Brain Res. 89, 341–347 (1975)
Burns, B.D.: The mammalian cerebral cortex, p. 119. London: Arnold 1958
Cajal, S. Ramón y: Histologie du système nerveux de l'homme et des vertébrés. Tome II. Paris: Maloine 1911 (Instituto Cajal, Madrid, 1955)
Cajal, S. Ramón y: Studien über die Sehrinde der Katze. J. Psychol. Neurol. (Lpz.) 29, 161–181 (1922)
Clark, W., Le Gros, E., Sunderland, S.: Structural changes in the isolated visual cortex. J. Anat. (Lond.) 73, 563–574 (1939)
Colonnier, M., Rossignol, S., Heterogeneity of the cerebral cortex. In: Basic Mechanisms of the Epilepsies (eds. H.H. Jasper, A.A. Ward and A. Pope), pp. 29–40. Boston: Little, Brown 1969
Creutzfeldt, O., Innocenti, G.M., Brooks, D.: Vertical organization in the visual cortex (area 17) in the cat. Exp. Brain Res. 21, 315–336 (1974a)
Creutzfeldt, O.D., Kuhnt, U., Benevento, L.A.: An intracellular analysis of visual cortical neurones to moving stimuli: Responses in a co-operative neuronal network. Exp. Brain Res. 21, 251–274 (1974b)
Creutzfeldt, O., Struck, G.: Neurophysiologie und Morphologie der chronisch isolierten Cortexinsel der Katze: Hirnpotentiale und Neuronentätigkeit einer isolierten Nervenzellpopulation ohne afferente Fasern. Arch. Psychiat. Nervenkr. 203, 708–731 (1962)
Fink, R.P., Heimer, L.: Two methods for selective silver impregnation of degenerating axons and their synaptic endings in the central nervous system. Brain Res. 4, 369–374 (1967)
Fisken, R.A., Garey, L.J., Powell, T.P.S.: Patterns of degeneration after intrinsic lesions of the visual cortex (area 17) of the monkey. Brain Res. 53, 208–213 (1973)
Fisken, R.A., Garey, L.J., Powell, T.P.S.: The intrinsic, association and commissural connections of area 17 of the visual cortex. Phil. Trans. B 272, 487–536 (1975)
Fleischhauer, K., Petsche, H., Wittkowski, W.: Verticle bundles of dendrites in the neocortex. Z. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 136, 213–223 (1972)
Garey, L.J., Powell, T.P.S.: The projection of the lateral geniculate nucleus upon the cortex in the cat. Proc. roy. Soc. B 169, 107–126 (1967)
Garey, L.J., Powell, T.P.S.: An experimental study of the termination of the lateral geniculocortical pathway in the cat and monkey. Proc. roy. Soc. B 179, 41–63 (1971)
Garey, L.J.: Synaptic organization of afferent fibres and intrinsic circuits in the neocortex. In: Handbook of Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol. (ed. A. Rémond), Vol. 2, 2A, 57–85, 1976
Gruner, J.E., Hirsch, J.C., Sotelo, C.: Ultrastructural features of the isolated suprasylvian gyrus in the cat. J. comp. Neurol. 154, 1–28 (1974)
Hess, R., Negishi, K., Creutzfeldt, O.: The horizontal spread of intracortical inhibition in the visual cortex. Exp. Brain Res. 22, 415–419 (1975)
Hökfelt, T., Ljungdahl, Å.: Autoradiographic identification of cerebral and cerebellar cortical neurons accumulating labelled Gamma-aminobutyric acid (3H-GABA). Exp. Brain Res. 14, 354–362 (1972)
Hubel, D.H., Wiesel, T.N.: Anatomical demonstration of columns in the monkey striate cortex. Nature (Lond.) 221, 747–750 (1969)
Hubel, D.H., Wiesel, T.N.: Laminar and columnar distribution of geniculo-cortical fibers in the macaque monkey. J. comp. Neurol. 146, 421–450 (1972)
Lund, J.S., Boothe, R.G.: Interlaminar connections and pyramidal neuron organisation in the visual cortex, area 17, of the macaque monkey. J. comp. Neurol. 159, 305–334 (1975)
Lund, J.S., Lund, R.D., Hendrickson, A.E., Bunt, A.H., Fuchs, A.F.: The origin of efferent pathways from the primary visual cortex, area 17, of the macaque monkey as shown by retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. J. comp. Neurol. 164, 287–304 (1975)
Mountcastle, V.B.: Modality and topographic properties of single neurons of cat's somatic sensory cortex. J. Neurophysiol. 20, 408–434 (1957)
Nauta, H.J.W., Butler, A.B., Jane, J.A.: Some observations on axonal degeneration resulting from superficial lesions of the cerebral cortex. J. comp. Neurol. 150, 349–360 (1973)
Nauta, W.J.H., Gygax, P.A.: Silver impregnation of degenerating axons in the central nervous system: a modified technic. Stain Technol. 29, 91–93 (1954)
Palmer, L.A., Rosenquist, A.C.: Visual receptive fields of single striate cortical units projecting to the superior colliculus in the cat. Brain Res. 67, 27–42 (1974)
Peters, A., Walsh, T.M.A.: Study of the organisation of apical dendrites in the somatic sensory cortex of the rat. J. comp. Neurol. 144, 253–268 (1972)
Renaud, L.P., Kelly, J.S.: Identification of possible inhibitory neurons in the pericruciate cortex of the cat. Brain Res. 79, 9–28 (1974)
Scheibel, M.E., Scheibel, A.B.: Elementary processes in selected thalamic and cortical subsystems — the structural substrates. In: The Neurosciences: 2nd Study Program (ed. F.O. Schmitt), pp. 443–457. New York: The Rockefeller Univ. Press 1970
Shkol'nik-Yarros, E.G.: Neurons and interneuronal connections of the central visual system. 295 p. New York-London: Plenum Press 1971
Sholl, D.A.: Organization of the cerebral cortex. 125 p. London: Methuen 1956
Singer, W., Tretter, F., Cynader, M.: Organization of cat striate cortex: a correlation of receptive-field properties with afferent and efferent connections. J. Neurophysiol. 38, 1080–1098 (1975)
Spatz, W.B., Tigges, J., Tigges, M.: Subcortical projections, cortical associations and some intrinsic interlaminar connections of the striate cortex in the squirrel monkey. J. comp. Neurol. 140, 155–174 (1970)
Stone, J., Dreher, B.: Projection of X- and Y-cells of the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus to areas 17 and 18 of visual cortex. J. Neurophysiol. 36, 551–567 (1973)
Szentágothai, J.: The use of degeneration methods in the investigation of short neuronal connexions. Progr. Brain Res. 14, 1–32 (1965)
Szentágothai, J.: Synaptology of the visual cortex. In: Handbook of Sensory Physiology (ed. R. Jung), Vol. VII, 3B, pp. 267–324. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1973
Tigges, J., Spatz, W.B., Tigges, M.: Reciprocal point-to-point connections between parastriate and striate cortex in the squirrel monkey. J. comp. Neurol. 148, 481–490 (1973)
Watanabe, S., Konishi, M., Creutzfeldt, O.D.: Postsynaptic potentials in the cat's visual cortex following electrical stimulation of afferent pathways. Exp. Brain Res. 1, 272–283 (1966)
Wiitanen, J.T.: Selective silver impregnation of degenerating axons and axon terminals in the central nervous system of the monkey (Macaca mulatta). Brain Res. 14, 546–548 (1969)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Creutzfeldt, O.D., Garey, L.J., Kuroda, R. et al. The distribution of degenerating axons after small lesions in the intact and isolated visual cortex of the cat. Exp Brain Res 27, 419–440 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235514
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235514