Sensory experience modifies feature map relationships in visual cortex.
The extent to which brain structure is influenced by sensory input during development is a critical but controversial question. A paradigmatic system for studying this is the mammalian visual cortex. Maps of orientation preference (OP) and ocular dominance (OD) in the primary visual cortex of ferrets, cats and monkeys can be individually changed by altered visual input. However, the spatial relationship between OP and OD maps has appeared immutable. Using a computational model we predicted that biasing the visual input to orthogonal orientation in the two eyes should cause a shift of OP pinwheels towards the border of OD columns. We then confirmed this prediction by rearing cats wearing orthogonally oriented cylindrical lenses over each eye. Thus, the spatial relationship between OP and OD maps can be modified by visual experience, revealing a previously unknown degree of brain plasticity in response to sensory input.
National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia.|ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.|Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Shaun L
0000-0002-7679-1764
SL
Cloherty
Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.|School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
Nicholas J
0000-0003-1657-4378
NJ
Hughes
National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia.|ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Markus A
MA
Hietanen
National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia.|ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Partha S
PS
Bhagavatula
Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.|School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.
Geoffrey J
0000-0001-9789-9355
GJ
Goodhill
National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia.|ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
Michael R
0000-0002-3803-6653
MR
Ibbotson
D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002415:Cats; D023882:Dominance, Ocular; D008959:Models, Neurological; D000072458:Orientation, Spatial; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception
brain development; cat; neuroscience; ocular dominance map; orientation pinwheel; orientation preference map; plasticity