Abstract
Environmental factors play an important role in certain aspects of the development of sensory systems1–3. But the way in which the maturation of different sensory modalities is coordinated is poorly understood. We have investigated this question neurophysio-logically in the mammalian superior colliculus (SC), which con-tains topographically aligned maps of visual and auditory space4–6. We report here that an essentially normal auditory map, in approximate register with the visual map, is found in the SC of adult ferrets reared with abnormal binaural localization cues. Also, if, early in life, one eye is deviated laterally, there is a compensatory shift in the auditory map, but early eye rotation totally disorders the auditory representation. These results imply that development of the auditory map is affected by visual activity or by information about eye position and that there is definite, but limited, capacity for the auditory map to reorganize so that it remains aligned with the visual map.
Access options
Subscribe to Journal
Get full journal access for 1 year
$199.00
only $3.90 per issue
All prices are NET prices.
VAT will be added later in the checkout.
Rent or Buy article
Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.
from$8.99
All prices are NET prices.
References
- 1
Movshon, J. A. & Van Sluyters, R. C. A. Rev. Psychol 32, 477–522 (1981).
- 2
Kaas, J. H., Merzenich, M. M. & Killackey, H. P. A. Rev. Neurosci. 6, 325–356 (1983).
- 3
Development of Auditory and Vestibular Systems (ed. Romand, R.) (Academic, New York, 1983).
- 4
King, A. J. & Palmer, A. R. J. Physiol, Land. 342, 361–381 (1983).
- 5
Middlebrooks, J. C. & Knudsen, E. I. J. Neurosci. 4, 2621–2634 (1984).
- 6
King, A. J. & Hutchings, M. E. J. Neurophysiol. 57, 596–624 (1987).
- 7
Knudsen, E. I., Esterly, S. D. & Knudsen, P. F. J. Neurosci. 4, 1001–1011 (1984).
- 8
Knudsen, E. I., Knudsen, P. F. & Esterly, S. D. J. Neurosci. 4, 1012–1020 (1984).
- 9
Knudsen, E. I. & Knudsen, P. F. Science 230, 545–548 (1985).
- 10
Knudsen, E. I. Science 222, 939–942 (1983).
- 11
Knudsen, E. I. J. Neurosci. 5, 3094–3109 (1985).
- 12
Linden, D. C., Guillery, R. W. & Cucchiaro, J. J. comp. Neurol. 203, 189–211 (1981).
- 13
Moore, D. R. Brain Res. 253, 309–311 (1982).
- 14
Palmer, A. R. & King, A. J. Hearing Res. 17, 267–280 (1985).
- 15
Middlebrooks, J. C. J. Neurophysiol. 57, 688–701 (1987).
- 16
Jay, M. F. & Sparks, D. L. J. Neurophysiol. 57, 35–55 (1987).
- 17
Harris, L. R., Blakemore, C. & Donaghy, M. Nature 288, 56–59 (1980).
- 18
Sparks, D. L. Physiol Rev. 66, 118–171 (1986).
- 19
King, A. J., Hutchings, M. E., Moore, D. R. & Blakemore, C. Soc. Neurosci Abstr. 11, 450 (1985).
- 20
Keating, M. J. Br. med. Bull. 30, 145–151 (1974).
- 21
Pettigrew, J. D. in Neuronal Plasticity (ed. Cotman, C. W.) 311–330 (Raven, New York, 1978).
- 22
Blakemore, C. Proc. R. Soc. B 204, 477–484 (1979).
- 23
Annetts, C. S. J., Howse, B. P. A., Hutchings, M. E. & King, A. J. J. Physiol., Lond. 382, 21P (1987).
Author information
Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
King, A., Hutchings, M., Moore, D. et al. Developmental plasticity in the visual and auditory representations in the mammalian superior colliculus. Nature 332, 73–76 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/332073a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
Further reading
-
Sounds are remapped across saccades
Scientific Reports (2020)
-
Temporal cues trick the visual and auditory cortices mimicking spatial cues in blind individuals
Human Brain Mapping (2020)
-
Spatial metric in blindness: behavioural and cortical processing
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (2020)
-
Stronger responses in the visual cortex of sighted compared to blind individuals during auditory space representation
Scientific Reports (2019)
-
Development, organization and plasticity of auditory circuits: Lessons from a cherished colleague
European Journal of Neuroscience (2019)
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.
