Effects of divergent strabismus on the horizontal connections of neurons in the cat visual cortex

Abstract

Neuron connections of eye dominance columns in the visual cortex were studied in kittens at age 5-6 months with experimental strabismus induced on days 13-16 of life (by tenotomy of the medial ocular muscle). A photographic method was used to assess the angle between the visual axes of the eyes. The operated oculomotor muscle was found to undergo partial reattachment to the eyeball. In some kittens, the operated eye returned to the normal position, while others showed persisting deviation of the eyes by 5-15 degrees. Loss of the binocular properties of cortical neurons have been demonstrated in such animals (Sireteanu et al., 1993). Differences were seen in the extents of connections of cortical eye dominance columns between these groups of cats. Elimination of diplopia and non-correspondence of the two retinal images in kittens of these groups is suggested to be mediated by different mechanisms: alternation of the eyes on fixation or suppression of the activity of the deviant eye.