| Abstract: | CO "spots" in layer IV of primary visual cortex were investigated in 33, 49 and 93-days kittens that were subjected to flickering light stimulation. Kittens from first group were stimulated since eye opening (long-term stimulation), other kittens--since postnatal day 26, 42 or 85 until euthanasia (short-term stimulation). Both types of stimulation did not disturb CO "spots" spatial organization but obviously increased a contrast of splenial CO "spots". Lateral "spots" contrast increasing took place after long-term stimulation until the 93rd postnatal day or after short stimulation since 26th to 33rd postnatal day. Flickering light stimulation seems to lead to structural and metabolic alterations in primary visual cortex. These alterations are processed in different way in regions of area 17 that is responsible for central and peripheral vision, respectively. It seems to reflect, firstly, primary activation of Y processing stream and, secondly, the strengthening of contralateral input to area 17. |
