Cross-modal innervation of primary visual cortex by auditory fibers in congenitally anophthalmic mice.
Auditory-visual cross-modal innervation was examined in control (sighted, ZRDCT-N) and congenitally anophthalmic (eyeless, ZRDCT-AN) mice using electrophysiological recording and pathway tracing with carbocyanine dyes. Electrophysiological data demonstrate that the primary visual cortex of congenitally eyeless, blind, mice receives auditory stimuli. Neuroanatomical data demonstrate a direct connection between the inferior colliculus (IC) and visual cortex. Our experiments provide new information about how the brain adapts to the loss of sight.
Laemle
L K
LK
Department of Ophthalmology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, 30 Bergen Street, Rm. 1409, Newark, NJ 07103, USA. laemlelb@umdnj.edu
Strominger
N L
NL
Carpenter
D O
DO
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D000853:Anophthalmos / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001303:Auditory Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D007245:Inferior Colliculi / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*