title: Representation of the visual field in the anterior thalamus of the leopard frog, Rana pipiens.
abstract: We used physiological and anatomical methods to elucidate how the visual field is represented in the part of the dorsal anterior thalamus of the leopard frog that receives direct retinal projections. We recorded extracellularly while presenting visual stimuli, and characterized a physiologically defined region that encompasses the retinal projections as well as an extended zone beyond them. We probed the area systematically to determine if the zone is organized in a visuotopic map: we found that it is not. We found that units in this region respond only to stimuli in the contralateral half of the visual field, which is similar to what is seen in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in mammals. When we backfilled retinal ganglion cells from application of HRP to the anterior thalamus, we found labeled cells only in those parts of the retina corresponding to the contralateral hemifield, confirming our physiological observations.
authors.affiliation: Temple University, Department of Biology, 1900 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. Electronic address: lskor@temple.edu.
authors.forename: Laura K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Skorina
authors.affiliation: Alvernia University, 400 Saint Bernardine Street, Reading, PA 19607, USA.
authors.forename: Eric W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Recktenwald
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, Department of Biology, 25 Yearsley Mill Road, Media, PA 19063, USA. Electronic address: ead9@psu.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Dudkin
authors.affiliation: Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Department of Biology, Camden, NJ 08102, USA. Electronic address: saidel@camden.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Saidel
authors.affiliation: Temple University, Department of Biology, 1900 North 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
authors.forename: Edward R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Gruberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020643:Anterior Thalamic Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D007839:Functional Laterality; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011894:Rana pipiens / Q000502:physiology*; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Diencephalon; Electrophysiology; Neuropil; Retina