Dark-reared cats: responsitivity of cortical cells influenced pharmacologically by an inhibitory antagonist

When studied physiologically, dark-reared kittens exhibit abnormal responses. Specifically, cortical cells respond poorly, if at all, to visual stimulation. In the preceding paper (Ramoa et al. 1986) we showed that iontophoretic application of an excitatory amino acid allows all cells in this prepar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental brain research 1987-01, Vol.65 (3), p.666-672
Main Authors: TSUMOTO, T, FREEMAN, R. D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bicuculline - analogs & derivatives
Bicuculline - pharmacology
Biological and medical sciences
Cats
Dark Adaptation
Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Iontophoresis
Neural Inhibition
Neurons - classification
Neurons - drug effects
Neurons - physiology
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
Visual Cortex - cytology
Visual Cortex - physiology
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Summary:When studied physiologically, dark-reared kittens exhibit abnormal responses. Specifically, cortical cells respond poorly, if at all, to visual stimulation. In the preceding paper (Ramoa et al. 1986) we showed that iontophoretic application of an excitatory amino acid allows all cells in this preparation to be excited or suppressed by visual stimuli. In the current study, we have pursued this finding by studying additional dark-reared kittens using iontophoretic application of an inhibitory antagonist, bicuculline methiodide (BIC). Responses of most cells studied were affected by application of BIC. Of cells which were originally weak or unresponsive, 76% became clearly responsive with application of BIC. Of cells which responded without BIC and were orientation-selective, only 33% lost selectivity during application of BIC. Considered together, these findings suggest functional inhibitory input in dark-reared animals which appears to differ from that in normal kittens with respect to its role in selectivity for stimulus orientation.
ISSN:0014-4819
1432-1106
DOI:10.1007/BF00235990