National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia; ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia; School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
Markus A Hietanen
National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia; ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
Partha S Bhagavatula
National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia; ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia; School of Mathematics and Physics, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
National Vision Research Institute, Australian College of Optometry, Carlton, Australia; ARC Center of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
The extent to which brain structure is influenced by sensory input during development is a critical but controversial question. A paradigmatic system for studying this is the mammalian visual cortex. Maps of orientation preference (OP) and ocular dominance (OD) in the primary visual cortex of ferrets, cats and monkeys can be individually changed by altered visual input. However, the spatial relationship between OP and OD maps has appeared immutable. Using a computational model we predicted that biasing the visual input to orthogonal orientation in the two eyes should cause a shift of OP pinwheels towards the border of OD columns. We then confirmed this prediction by rearing cats wearing orthogonally oriented cylindrical lenses over each eye. Thus, the spatial relationship between OP and OD maps can be modified by visual experience, revealing a previously unknown degree of brain plasticity in response to sensory input.
