Spatial localization in cats reared with strabismus. 1980

C R Olson

1. The capacity for judging the location of an object relative to the body (egocentric localization) was assessed in cats by measuring the landing position attained when the cat jumped toward a platform viewed from a known distance. 2. Normal cats and kittens land at center of the platform when using one eye or both. In contrast, nine animals tested immediately after tenotomy of the medial rectus muscle of one eye all landed consistently off-center when using the operated eye. The direction of the error was predictable from the assumption that the cat was unaware of the eye's deviation from its natural position. Thus, proprioceptive reafference is not capable, under these conditions, of supporting an accurate awareness of eye position. 3. After initial testing, all cats were maintained in a normal environment with both eyes open and were tested intermittently. Jumps guided by the deviated eye became accurate over a period of weeks in kittens younger than 4 mo. In contrast, behavioral adjustment in older kittens required many months. An adult cat displayed almost no adjustment over a period of 9 mo. 4. Five additional kittens were first tested several months after the onset of strabismus. These animals manifested accurate use of the operated eye from the first trial onward. Therefore, acquisition of accurate use of the deviated eye is not dependent on repeated testing. 5. Two kittens subjected to early exodeviation of one eye displayed a reduced capacity for adjustment when subjected to late exodeviation of the second eye. Thus, changes in neural function resulting from early strabismus (for instance, the loss of binocular connectivity in striate cortex) do not produce persistent behavioral flexibility. 6. In two strabismic kittens with a fully developed compensatory adjustment of monocular egocentric localization, the capacity for judging the relative location of two objects viewed simultaneously through separate eyes was assessed through use of a two-choice visual discrimination paradigm. One animal made predictable systematic errors, while the other exhibited correct judgments. Thus, it appears that a compensatory shift of retinal correspondence may occur in some strabismic kittens, but that such a change is not necessary for accurate use of the deviated eye in monocular visual guidance. 7. A number of observations are described that tend to indicate that cats reared with strabismus continue to use both the deviated and the nondeviated eye for visual guidance under binocular viewing conditions, unlike many human strabismics.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010468 Perceptual Disorders Cognitive disorders characterized by an impaired ability to perceive the nature of objects or concepts through use of the sense organs. These include spatial neglect syndromes, where an individual does not attend to visual, auditory, or sensory stimuli presented from one side of the body. Hemispatial Neglect,Hemisensory Neglect,Sensory Neglect,Somatosensory Discrimination Disorder,Discrimination Disorder, Somatosensory,Discrimination Disorders, Somatosensory,Hemisensory Neglects,Hemispatial Neglects,Neglect, Hemisensory,Neglect, Hemispatial,Neglect, Sensory,Neglects, Hemisensory,Perceptual Disorder,Sensory Neglects,Somatosensory Discrimination Disorders
D011187 Posture The position or physical attitude of the body. Postures
D011434 Proprioception Sensory functions that transduce stimuli received by proprioceptive receptors in joints, tendons, muscles, and the INNER EAR into neural impulses to be transmitted to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Proprioception provides sense of stationary positions and movements of one's body parts, and is important in maintaining KINESTHESIA and POSTURAL BALANCE. Labyrinthine Sense,Position Sense,Posture Sense,Sense of Equilibrium,Vestibular Sense,Sense of Position,Equilibrium Sense,Sense, Labyrinthine,Sense, Position,Sense, Posture,Sense, Vestibular
D012160 Retina The ten-layered nervous tissue membrane of the eye. It is continuous with the OPTIC NERVE and receives images of external objects and transmits visual impulses to the brain. Its outer surface is in contact with the CHOROID and the inner surface with the VITREOUS BODY. The outer-most layer is pigmented, whereas the inner nine layers are transparent. Ora Serrata
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
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000222 Adaptation, Physiological The non-genetic biological changes of an organism in response to challenges in its ENVIRONMENT. Adaptation, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiological,Adaptive Plasticity,Phenotypic Plasticity,Physiological Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptations,Physiological Adaptations,Plasticity, Adaptive,Plasticity, Phenotypic
D000367 Age Factors Age as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or the effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from AGING, a physiological process, and TIME FACTORS which refers only to the passage of time. Age Reporting,Age Factor,Factor, Age,Factors, Age
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
D013028 Space Perception The awareness of the spatial properties of objects; includes physical space. Perception, Space,Perceptions, Space,Space Perceptions

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