Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Monocular deprivation and the signal transmission by X- and Y-neurons of the cat lateral geniculate nucleus

  • Published:
Experimental Brain Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

  1. 1.

    In adult cats deprived monocularly from the second week of life, single neurons were recorded from the optic tract (OT), the lateral geniculate body (pars dorsalis, LGN) and the optic radiation (OR). The neurons were classified according to their visual response properties (Y/X) or their latencies to OT electrical stimulation (class I/II).

  2. 2.

    A close positive correlation (> 95%) was found between the visual classification and the latency classification (Y = I, X = II).

  3. 3.

    The relative frequency of class I/Y-neurons was reduced in the group of pattern-deprived LGN neurons, but normal in the pattern-deprived OR neurons.

  4. 4.

    The ratio of the r1 and r2 wave amplitude of the OR-evoked potentials elicited by electrical stimulation of the normal or the deprived eye optic nerve was not affected by pattern deprivation.

  5. 5.

    The activity pattern of neurons recorded from the LGN or the OR did not differ in normal and pattern-deprived neurons belonging to the same class (on-center/off-center; Y/X). The same was true for the neuronal responses to electrical stimulation of the OT at different stimulus frequencies (1–200 stimuli/s).

  6. 6.

    The average maintained activity of pattern-deprived OT or OR neurons recorded while the eyelids of the deprived eye were still closed was either equal to or even somewhat higher than the average activity of the corresponding normal neurons. This was true when the patterned stimuli were presented stationary or were moved at random within the visual field simulating the effect of eye and head movements. The pattern deprivation effects found morphologically and physiologically in the visual cortex are, therefore, not induced by a diminished average activity of the input neurons from the deprived eye.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baker, F.H., Grigg, P., van Noorden, G.K.: Effects of visual deprivation and strabismus on the response of neurons in the visual cortex of the monkey, including studies on the striate and prestriate cortex in the normal animal. Brain Res. 66, 185–208 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Blakemore, C., van Sluyters, R.C.: Reversal of the physiological effects of monocular deprivation in kittens: further evidence for a sensitive period. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 237, 195–216 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, H.T., Kaada, B.: An analysis of primary response of visual cortex to optic nerve stimulation of cats. J. Neurophysiol. 13, 305–318 (1950)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chow, K.L., Stewart, D.L.: Reversal and functional effects of long-term visual deprivation in cats. Exp. Neurol. 34, 409–433 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, M.L.J., Blake, R., Cool, S.J., von Noorden, G.K.: Physiological consequences of unilateral and bilateral eye closure in macaque monkeys: some further observations. Brain Res. 84, 150–154 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dews, P.B., Wiesel, T.N.: Consequences of monocular deprivation on visual behaviour in kittens. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 206, 437–455 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Domberg, H.: Die Veränderungen der Gröβe des rezeptiven Feldzentrums retinaler on-Zentrum Neurone der Katze bei verschiedener Lichtadaptation. Dissertation, Berlin 1972

  • Eysel, U.Th., Gaedt, Chr.: Maintained activity in the lateral geniculate body of the cat and the effects of visual deprivation. Pflügers Arch. 327, 68–81 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Eysel, U.Th., Grüsser, O.-J.: Intracellular postsynaptic potentials of cat lateral geniculate cells and the effects of degeneration of the optic terminals. Brain Res. 98, 441–455 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Eysel, U.Th., Grüsser, O.-J., Pecci Saavedra, J.: Signal transmission through degenerating synapses in the lateral geniculate body of the cat. Brain Res. 76, 49–70 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fukada, Y., Motokawa, K., Norton, A.C., Tasaki, K.: Functional significance of conduction velocity in the transfer of flicker information in the optic nerve of the cat. J. Neurophysiol. 29, 698–714 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganz, L., Haffner, M.E.: Permanent perceptual and neurophysiological effects of visual deprivation in the cat. Exp. Brain Res. 20, 67–87 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Garey, L.J., Blakemore, C.: The effects of monocular deprivation of different neuronal classes in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Exp. Brain Res. 28, 259–278 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Garey, L.J., Dürsteler, D.J.: Reversal of deprivation effects in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Neurosci. Lett. 1, 19–23 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Garey, L.J., Fisken, R.A., Powell, T.P.S.: Observations on the growth of cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Brain Res. 52, 359–362 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grind, W.A. van de, Grüsser, O.-J., Lunkenheimer, H.U.: Temporal transfer properties of the afferent visual system. In: Handbook of Sensory Physiology, R. Jung (Ed.). Vol. VII/3, Chap. 7. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer 1973

    Google Scholar 

  • Grüsser, O.-J., Creutzfeldt, O.: Eine neurophysiologische Grundlage des Brücke-Bartley-Effektes: Maxima der Impulsfrequenz retinaler und corticaler Neurone bei Flimmerlicht mittlerer Frequenzen. Pflügers Arch. 263, 668–681 (1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grüsser, O.-J., Grützner, A.: Reaktionen einzelner Neurone des optischen Cortex der Katze nach elektrischen Reizserien des Nervus Opticus. Arch. Psychiat. Z. Neurol. 197, 405–432 (1958)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grüsser, O.-J., Reidemeister, C.: Flimmerlichtuntersuchungen an der Katzenretina. II. Off-Neurone und Besprechung der Ergebnisse. Zschr. Biol. 111, 254–270 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillery, R.W.: The effect of lid suture upon the growth of cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of kittens. J. Comp. Neurol. 148, 417–422 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillery, R.W., Stelzner, D.J.: The differential effects of unilateral lid closure upon the monocular and binocular segments of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the cat. J. Comp. Neurol. 139, 413–422 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamasaki, D.I., Rackensperger, W., Vesper, J.: Spatial organization of normal and visually deprived units in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Vision Res. 12, 843–854 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammond, P.: Cat retinal ganglion cells: Size and shape of receptive field centres. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 242, 99–118 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickey, T.L., Spear, P.D., Kratz, K.E.: Quantitative studies of cell size in the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus following visual deprivation. J. Comp. Neurol. 172, 265–282 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hof-van Duin, J. van: Pattern discrimination and visuomotor behaviour after monocular visual deprivation in cats. Brain Res. 66, 359 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hof-van Duin, J. van: Early and permanent effects of monocular deprivation on pattern discrimination and visuomotor behaviour in cats. Brain Res. 111, 261–276 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, K.-P., Cynader, M.: Functional aspects of plasticity in the visual system of adult cats after early monocular deprivation. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. [Biol.] 278, 411–424 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, K.-P., Holländer, H.: Physiological and morphological changes in cells of the lateral geniculate nucleus in monocularly deprived and reverse sutured cats. J. Comp. Neurol. 177, 145–158 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, K.P., Sireteanu, R.: Inter laminar differences in the effects of early and late monocular deprivation on the visual acuity of cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. Neurosci. Lett. 5, 171–175 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffmann, K.-P., Stone, J., Sherman, S.M.: Relay of receptive field properties in dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 518–530 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, H., Wright, M.J.: Amblyopic cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus in kittens raised with surgically produced squint. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 256, 41–42 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, H., Plant, G.T., Tremain, K.E.: Morphological changes in the dorsal lateral geniculate nuclei of kittens raised with surgically produced squint. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 258, 70–71 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, H., Tremain, E., Einon, G.: Loss of spatial resolution of lateral geniculate nucleus neurones in kittens raised with convergent squint produced at different stages in development. Exp. Brain Res. 31, 207–220 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kratz, K.E., Spear, P.D.: Effects of visual deprivation and alterations in binocular competition on responses of striate cortex neurons in the cat. J. Comp. Neurol. 170, 141–151 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • LeVay, S., Ferster, D.: Relay cell classes in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat and the effects of visual deprivation. J. Comp. Neurol. 172, 563–584 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Maffei, L., Fiorentini, A.: Monocular deprivation in kittens impairs the spatial resolution of geniculate neurons. Nature 264, 754–755 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Norton, T.T., Casagrande, V.A., Sherman, S.M.: Loss of Y-cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus of monocularly deprived tree shrews. Science 197, 784–786 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Noorden, G.K. von, Middleditch, P.R.: Histology of the monkey lateral geniculate nucleus after unilateral lid closure and experimental strabismus: further observations. Invest. Ophthalmol. 14, 674–683 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reidemeister, C., Grüsser, O.-J.: Flimmerlichtuntersuchungen an der Katzenretina. I. On-Neurone und On-off-Neurone. Z. Biol. 111, 241–253 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakmann, B., Creutzfeldt, O.-D.: Scotopic and mesopic light adaptation in the cat's retina. Pflügers Arch. 313, 168–185 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, S.M.: Visual field defects in monocularly and binocularly deprived cats. Brain Res. 49, 25–45 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, S.M.: Permanence of visual perimetry deficits in monocularly and binocularly deprived cats. Brain Res. 73, 491–501 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, S.M., Hoffmann, K.-P., Stone, J.: Loss of a specific cell type from dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in visually deprived cats. J. Neurophysiol. 35, 532–541 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, S.M., Wilson, J.R., Guillery, R.W.: Evidence that binocular competition affects the postnatal development of Y-cells in the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus. Brain Res. 100, 441–444 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer, W.: Effects of monocular deprivation on excitatory and inhibitory pathways in cat striate cortex. Exp. Brain Res. 30, 25–41 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiesel, T.N., Hubel, D.H.: Effects of visual deprivation on morphology and physiology of cells in the cat's lateral geniculate body. J. Neurophysiol. 26, 978–993 (1963a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiesel, T.N., Hubel, D.H.: Single-cell responses in striate cortex of kittens deprived of vision in one eye. J. Neurophysiol. 26, 1003–1017 (1963b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiesel, T.N., Hubel, D.H.: Comparison of the effects of unilateral and bilateral eye closure on cortical unit responses in kittens. J. Neurophysiol. 28, 1029–1040 (1965a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiesel, T.N., Hubel, D.H.: Extent of recovery from the effects of visual deprivation in kittens. J. Neurophysiol. 28, 1060–1072 (1965b)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Essen, D-4300, Essen, Germany

    U. Th. Eysel

  2. Department of Physiology, Freie Universität Berlin, Arnimallee 22, D-1000, Berlin

    O. -J. Grüsser

  3. Department of Biology, University of Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg M 25, D-7900, Ulm, Germany

    K. -P. Hoffmann

Authors
  1. U. Th. Eysel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. -J. Grüsser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. -P. Hoffmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eysel, U.T., Grüsser, O.J. & Hoffmann, K.P. Monocular deprivation and the signal transmission by X- and Y-neurons of the cat lateral geniculate nucleus. Exp Brain Res 34, 521–539 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239147

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239147

Key words

Search

Navigation