| Abstract: | Bilateral mesencephalic lesions, which suppress the PGO activity in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), were performed at two weeks of age in the kitten, and the effects on the electrophysiological development of this nucleus were analyzed at 6 weeks of age. The latencies of LGN cells after electrical stimulation of the optic chiasma were larger, and the number of the differentiated X cells was smaller than those of age paired controls. However, the response of the ganglion fibers was not modified. These results, compared to those obtained on 30 days old kittens, and on animals with a unilateral lesion, suggest that the suppression of PGO inputs to the LGN induced a delay in the electrophysiological maturation of this nucleus. |
