June 20, 1984The Journal of Comparative Neurology
Abnormal central visual pathways in the brain of an albino green monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops)
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Implication
Electrophysiological study reveals aberrant retinofugal decussation and cortical reorganization in an albino monkey, indicating melanin-dependent visual pathway disruption.
Key Points
- To characterize structural and functional abnormalities within the central visual pathways of an albino green monkey relative to normal primates.
- Examined retinal ganglion cell size, packing density, and foveal morphology in whole mount retinal preparations from an albino green monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops).
- Mapped retinogeniculate, collicular, and cortical projections using electrophysiological multi-unit recordings and transneuronal [3H]-proline autoradiography.
- The albino retina lacked a foveal pit and exhibited abnormally large central ganglion cells despite normal peripheral packing density.
- Uncrossed retinofugal fibers representing central vision were nearly absent, leading to exclusive innervation of target layers in the lateral geniculate nucleus and superior colliculus by crossed afferents.
- The visual cortex demonstrated a mirror-reversed representation of the central temporal retina alternating with normal contralateral field maps, while peripheral inputs formed ocular dominance columns.
Cite This Study
Guillery et al. (1984) studied this question.