Responses of single cells in cat's lateral geniculate nucleus and area 17 to the velocity of moving visual stimuli

1979 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Hess ◽  
W. Wolters
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Area 17 ◽  
Lateral Geniculate

Expression of MARCKS mRNA in lateral geniculate nucleus and visual cortex of normal and monocularly deprived macaque monkeys

2002 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 633-643 ◽  
Author(s):  
NORIYUKI HIGO ◽  
TAKAO OISHI ◽  
AKIKO YAMASHITA ◽  
KEIJI MATSUDA ◽  
MOTOHARU HAYASHI
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Macaque Monkey ◽  
Monocular Deprivation ◽  
Major Protein ◽  
Area 17 ◽  
Double Labeling ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Kinase Substrate ◽  
Lateral Geniculate

We performed a nonradioactive in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISH) study of the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and the primary visual area (area 17) of the macaque monkey to investigate mRNA expression of the myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS), a major protein kinase C (PKC) substrate. In the LGN, intense hybridization signals were observed in both magnocellular neurons (layers 1 and 2) and parvocellular neurons (layers 3 to 6). Double labeling using ISH and immunofluorescence revealed that MARCKS mRNA was coexpressed with the α-subunit of type II calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, indicating that MARCKS mRNA is also expressed in koniocellular neurons in the LGN. GABA-immunoreactive neurons in the LGN did not contain MARCKS mRNA, indicating that MARCKS mRNA is not expressed in inhibitory interneurons. The signals were generally weak in area 17, and intense signals were restricted to large neurons in layers IVB, V, and VI. GABA-immunoreactive neurons in layers II–VI of area 17 did not contain MARCKS mRNA. Double-label ISH revealed that MARCKS mRNA was coexpressed with mRNA of GAP-43, another PKC substrate, in neurons of both the LGN and area 17. To determine whether the expression of MARCKS mRNA is regulated by retinal activity, we performed ISH in the LGN and area 17 of monkeys deprived of monocular visual input by tetrodotoxin. After monocular deprivation for 5 to 30 days, MARCKS mRNA was down-regulated in the LGN, but not in area 17. These results suggest that MARCKS mediates the activity-dependent changes in the excitatory relay neurons in the LGN.

Response of Single Cells in Monkey Lateral Geniculate Nucleus to Monochromatic Light

Science ◽  
1958 ◽  
Vol 127 (3292) ◽  
pp. 238-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. DE VALOIS ◽  
C. J. SMITH ◽  
S. T. KITAI ◽  
A. J. KAROLY
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Monochromatic Light ◽  
Lateral Geniculate

Functional aspects of plasticity in the visual system of adult cats after early monocular deprivation

1977 ◽  
Vol 278 (961) ◽  
pp. 411-424 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Superior Colliculus ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Monocular Deprivation ◽  
Early Deprivation ◽  
Optic Chiasma ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Y Cells

Responses to visual stimuli and to electrical stimulation of the optic chiasma were analysed in neurons of the lateral geniculate nucleus, visual cortex and superior colliculus in monocularly deprived cats with different post-deprivation periods. If the cats had both eyes open in their post-deprivation period (1 year) no recovery from the effects of early deprivation was found in the responses of neurones in all 3 visual structures. In cats with a post-deprivation reverse closure we found an increase in the proportion of Y-cells recorded in the early deprived layer of LGN when compared to the Y-cell proportion found in the same layers immediately after the deprived eye was opened. In neurons of the visual cortex and superior colliculus the functional abnormalities remained unaltered. The late closure of the non-deprived eye for up to 3 years did not effect neurons normally activated through that eye. Removal of the non-deprived eye unmasked connections of the deprived eye’s pathway onto neurons in the visual cortex and the superior colliculus. The neurons showed no specificity for the direction of movement or the orientation of visual stimuli. This recovery from deprivation was greater after enucleating the cats at the age of 6 months than at 18 months after birth. In the lateral geniculate nucleus of these cats the proportion of Y-cells in the recorded sample driven by the deprived eye had recovered to the value of normal cats. The difficulties in relating these physiological findings to results from morphological or behavioural studies are discussed.

Numerical relationship between neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus and primary visual cortex in macaque monkeys

1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 585-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Suner ◽  
Pasko Rakic
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Primary Visual Cortex ◽  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Area 17 ◽  
Counting Method ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Cortex Area ◽  
The Right

AbstractWe examined the numerical correlation between total populations of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and the primary visual cortex (area 17 of Brodmann) in ten cerebral hemispheres of five normal rhesus monkeys using an unbiased three-dimensional counting method. There were 1.4 ± 0.2 million and 341 ±54 million neurons in the LGN and area 17, respectively. In each animal, a larger LGN on one side was in register with a larger area 17 of the cortex on the same side. Furthermore, asymmetry in the number of neurons in both the LGN and area 17 favored the right side. However, because of small variations across subjects, correlation between the total neuron number in LGN and area 17 was weak (r = 0.29). These results suggest that the final numbers of neurons in these visual centers may be established independently or by multiple factors controlling elimination of initially overproduced neurons.

Light adaptation in cells of macaque lateral geniculate nucleus and its relation to human light adaptation

1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 864-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Virsu ◽  
B. B. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Light Adaptation ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Field Size ◽  
Adaptation Level ◽  
Response Functions ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Intensity Response

Responses of macaque lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) cells to stimuli of different incremental intensities and wavelength compositions were studied at different levels of light adaptation from scotopic to low photopic levels. Stimuli were large in comparison with receptive-field size. Human increment thresholds were measured for comparison. The strength of responses grew in many cells from threshold up to a saturation level as a logarithmic function of incremental intensity. More complex intensity-response functions were also obtained, particularly from parvocellular layer (PCL) cells, but the shape and slope of the intensity-response function changed as a function of adaptation level only with chromatic backgrounds. As a function of adaptation level, the intensity-response functions shifted along the logarithmic abscissa but not sufficiently for a complete contrast constancy. Thus responses to any constant contrast became smaller when adaptation level decreased. The change from cone to rod responses, when possible, took place without noticeable change in shape of intensity-response functions, and much of the adaptive shift of the functions could be attributed to the change-over between rods and cones. Differences between different cells in light adaptation and dark-adapted sensitivity were large, mostly because of variation in the strength of rod input. The strongest excitatory rod inputs were found in PCL cells activated by short-wavelength light, so that the highest sensitivity at low levels of illumination occurred in blue- and blue-green-sensitive cells. The lowest increment thresholds based on cones matched the thresholds of macaque cone late receptor potentials recorded by Boynton and Whitten (3). They were also similar to human cone thresholds measured psychophysically but only for small stimulus sizes that may approximate the size of the receptive-field centers. Human sensitivity was much higher when measured with large stimulus sizes, indicating integration at post-geniculate neural levels. Light adaptation, as evaluated with respect to contrast constancy and Weber law behavior, was similarly incomplete in monkey single cells and human perception. A few cat LGN cells were studied in a control experiment; results agreed with previous findings. The light adaptation of cat cels was more complete and sensitivity higher than those observed under comparable conditions in macaque single cells and human. The maintained activity level of cells was little affected by the intensity of steady backgrounds. Thus, the steady-state hyper-polarisation of receptors was not transmitted to LGN cells.

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