The effect of hemidecortication on the inhibitory interactions in the superior colliculus of the cat. 1979

H A Buchtel, and R Camarda, and G Rizzolatti, and C Scandolara

Single neurons were recorded extracellularly from the superficial layers of the superior colliculus (SC) in 21 curarized cats. Four animals were normal unoperated cats, 17 were animals in which all cortical visual areas were ablated on one side from 7 to 69 days before the electrophysiological experiments. After cortical ablation all animals were blind in the visual field contralateral to the ablated side. In both normal and hemianopsic cats the effect of a visual stimulus located very far from the excitatory part of the unit receptive field, on the neuron responses to visual stimuli was studied. The remote stimulus (extra-field stimulus) was a hand moved black spot 10 degrees in diameter. In normal animals the introduction of the extra-field stimulus in the hemifield contralateral or ipsilateral to the recorded SC produced a marked reduction of unit responses to visual stimuli presented in their receptive field. This effect was particularly strong when the extra-field stimuli were introduced in the hemifield contralateral to the recorded side. In the hemianopsic animals the neurons of the SC ipsilateral to the lesion (receptive fields in the behaviorally blind hemifield) responded well to visual stimuli, but were only weakly inhibited by the extra-field stimuli presented in the blind hemifield. The neurons of this colliculus with the exception of those in the upper part of stratum griseum superficiale were normally inhibited by stimuli presented in the normal hemifield. The neurons of the SC contralateral to the lesion responded well to visual stimuli and were normally inhibited by stimuli presented in the normal hemifield; they were virtually not affected by stimuli presented in the blind hemifield. Mechanisms responsible for the abnormal inhibitory interactions between and within colliculi after cortical lesions and the possible behavioral implications of the findings are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009433 Neural Inhibition The function of opposing or restraining the excitation of neurons or their target excitable cells. Inhibition, Neural
D001931 Brain Mapping Imaging techniques used to colocalize sites of brain functions or physiological activity with brain structures. Brain Electrical Activity Mapping,Functional Cerebral Localization,Topographic Brain Mapping,Brain Mapping, Topographic,Functional Cerebral Localizations,Mapping, Brain,Mapping, Topographic Brain
D002415 Cats The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801) Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D002541 Cerebral Decortication Partial or total removal, ablation, or destruction of the cerebral cortex; may be chemical. It is not used with animals that do not possess a cortex, i.e., it is used only with mammals. Decortication, Cerebral Cortex,Cerebral Cortex Decortication,Cerebral Cortex Decortications,Cerebral Decortications,Cortex Decortication, Cerebral,Cortex Decortications, Cerebral,Decortication, Cerebral,Decortications, Cerebral,Decortications, Cerebral Cortex
D006423 Hemianopsia Partial or complete loss of vision in one half of the visual field(s) of one or both eyes. Subtypes include altitudinal hemianopsia, characterized by a visual defect above or below the horizontal meridian of the visual field. Homonymous hemianopsia refers to a visual defect that affects both eyes equally, and occurs either to the left or right of the midline of the visual field. Binasal hemianopsia consists of loss of vision in the nasal hemifields of both eyes. Bitemporal hemianopsia is the bilateral loss of vision in the temporal fields. Quadrantanopsia refers to loss of vision in one quarter of the visual field in one or both eyes. Hemianopsia, Binasal,Hemianopsia, Bitemporal,Hemianopsia, Homonymous,Quadrantanopsia,Altidudinal Hemianopia,Altitudinal Hemianopsia,Binasal Hemianopia,Bitemporal Hemianopia,Hemianopia,Homonymous Hemianopia,Quadrantanopia,Altidudinal Hemianopias,Altitudinal Hemianopsias,Binasal Hemianopias,Binasal Hemianopsia,Binasal Hemianopsias,Bitemporal Hemianopias,Bitemporal Hemianopsia,Bitemporal Hemianopsias,Hemianopia, Altidudinal,Hemianopia, Binasal,Hemianopia, Bitemporal,Hemianopia, Homonymous,Hemianopias,Hemianopias, Altidudinal,Hemianopias, Binasal,Hemianopias, Bitemporal,Hemianopias, Homonymous,Hemianopsia, Altitudinal,Hemianopsias,Hemianopsias, Altitudinal,Hemianopsias, Binasal,Hemianopsias, Bitemporal,Hemianopsias, Homonymous,Homonymous Hemianopias,Homonymous Hemianopsia,Homonymous Hemianopsias,Quadrantanopias,Quadrantanopsias
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013477 Superior Colliculi The anterior pair of the quadrigeminal bodies which coordinate the general behavioral orienting responses to visual stimuli, such as whole-body turning, and reaching. Colliculus, Superior,Optic Lobe, Human,Optic Lobe, Mammalian,Optic Tectum,Anterior Colliculus,Superior Colliculus,Tectum, Optic,Colliculi, Superior,Colliculus, Anterior,Human Optic Lobe,Human Optic Lobes,Mammalian Optic Lobe,Mammalian Optic Lobes,Optic Lobes, Human,Optic Lobes, Mammalian,Optic Tectums,Tectums, Optic
D014794 Visual Fields The total area or space visible in a person's peripheral vision with the eye looking straightforward. Field, Visual,Fields, Visual,Visual Field
D014796 Visual Perception The selecting and organizing of visual stimuli based on the individual's past experience. Visual Processing,Perception, Visual,Processing, Visual

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