title: Changes in the structure of neuronal connections in the visual cortex of cats with experimentally induced bilateral strabismus.
abstract: The spatial distribution of neuronal connections in cortical field 17 was studied in cats with experimentally induced bilateral convergent strabismus on postnatal days 10-14. Horseradish peroxidase was applied microiontophoretically to individual columns of neurons in fields 17 and 18 and retrograde-labeled cells were identified in both hemispheres. Increases and decreases in the extent of intra-hemisphere connections were seen in the mediolateral direction (projections of the horizontal meridian of the visual field). Most columns showed increases in inter-hemisphere connections in this same direction, which may support the more reliable unification of the two visual hemifields. In addition, some columns showed increases in intra-and inter-hemisphere connections in the rostrocaudal direction (projections of the vertical meridian). Thus, bilateral strabismus induced during the critical period of development leads to changes in the structure of both intra-hemisphere and inter-hemisphere connections of individual cortical columns in fields 17 and 18.
authors.affiliation: Neuromorphology Laboratory and Visual Physiology Laboratory, I. P. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Toporova
authors.forename: P Yu
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Shkorbatova
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Alekseenko
authors.forename: F N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Makarov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013285:Strabismus / Q000473:pathology*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase