Retinal detachment induces massive immediate reorganization in visual cortex.
Large inactive regions of the retina of adult cats were produced by the novel method of inducing monocular retinal detachment. Within a few hours, neurones throughout the detachment projection zone in primary visual cortex (55-136 mm2), including some > 4.5 mm from its boundary, were found to have large receptive fields displaced onto intact retina. The new receptive fields of some neurones represented shifts of up to 9 mm across the retinotopic representation. For these rapid changes to occur pre-existing viable circuits must provide a cortical locus with inputs from a wide extent of the retina. Receptive fields, and the retinotopic map, for stimulation of the other eye were unchanged.
Schmid
L M
LM
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Rosa
M G
MG
Calford
M B
MB
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D005133:Eye Movements; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D012163:Retinal Detachment; D013997:Time Factors; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology