title: Invasion of visual cortex by the auditory system in the naturally blind mole rat.
abstract: Previously we have shown that the dorsal lateral geniculate body (LGB), which is strictly visual in sighted mammals, receives a strong auditory input in the naturally blind mole rat (Spalax ehrenbergi). Here we show with the 2-deoxyglucose technique and with single-unit recordings that in this species the initially non-degenerated visual cortex, as defined by its connection with LGB, is also activated by the auditory modality. These findings suggest that cross-modal compensation may occur as a natural consequence of the degeneration of a sense organ.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, Technical University Darmstadt, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heil
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bronchti
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wollberg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scheich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D001345:Autoradiography; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D005829:Geniculate Bodies / Q000502:physiology; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D012377:Rodentia / Q000502:physiology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins
chemical_list: D018998:Wheat Germ Agglutinin-Horseradish Peroxidase Conjugate; D014909:Wheat Germ Agglutinins; D003847:Deoxyglucose; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase