Abstract
Wiesel and Hubel have shown that if normal simultaneous binocular vision is prevented during a period when an animal is particularly sensitive to the nature of its visual input, substantial changes can occur in the visual system1–3. A dramatic extension of the influence of visual deprivation was made a few years ago. Kittens were reared viewing contours of a given orientation, and physiological studies showed that their visual cortical neurones had become tuned to the orientation they had experienced4,5. In a related study, kittens were raised with prisms that caused vertical disparities between the images of the two eyes. Later it was found that the distribution of optimal disparities for which binocular cortical neurones were most responsive had undergone a shift, apparently to compensate for the rearing condition6. There is now an indication that the modifications can occur from an exceedingly brief selective exposure7,8 and recent behavioural data complement the original physiological finding9.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wiesel, T. N., and Hubel, D. H., J. Neurophysiol., 26, 1003 (1963).
Wiesel, T. N., and Hubel, D. H., J. Neurophysiol., 28, 1029 (1965).
Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. Physiol., Lond., 206, 419 (1970).
Hirsch, H. V. B., and Spinelli, D. N., Science, N.Y., 168, 869 (1970).
Blakemore, C., and Cooper, G. F., Nature, 228, 477 (1970).
Shlaer, R., Science, N.Y., 173, 638 (1971).
Blakemore, C., and Mitchell, D. E., Nature, 241, 467 (1973).
Pettigrew, J. D., Olson, C., and Barlow, H. B., Science, N.Y., 180, 1202 (1973).
Muir, D. W., and Mitchell, D. E., Science, N.Y., 180, 420 (1973).
Freeman, R. D., Mitchell, D. E., and Millodot, M., Science, N.Y., 175, 1384 (1972).
Mitchell, D. E., Freeman, R. D., Millodot, M., and Haegerstrom, G., Vis. Res., 13, 535 (1973).
Freeman, R. D., and Thibos, L. N., Science, N.Y., 180, 876 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
FREEMAN, R., PETTIGREW, J. Alteration of Visual Cortex from Environmental Asymmetries. Nature 246, 359–360 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/246359a0
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/246359a0
This article is cited by
-
Functional Motor Asymmetry in Three Species of Mouse-Like Rodents from Natural Populations
Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology (2012)
-
Influence of experience on orientation maps in cat visual cortex
Nature Neuroscience (1999)
-
Changes in the circuitry of the kitten visual cortex are gated by postsynaptic activity
Nature (1979)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.