Form deprivation without light deprivation produces the visual deprivation syndrome in Macaca mulatta

Abstract

The previously reported arrest of cell growth in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) following unilateral lid suture during visual immaturity in cats, dogs and monkeys could be caused by deprivation of light or form vision, binocular interaction or a combination of these factors. The lens was surgically removed from one eye of 3 macaques during the first month of life. Quantitative histologic comparison between LGN laminae connected with the phakic and aphakic eye revealed reductions of cell sizes in the monocular and binocular LGN segments receiving input from the aphakic eye of a magnitude comparable to that obtained by the lid suture technique. Since the amount of light stimulating the retina through an aphakic pupil is not reduced, we conclude that light deprivation can be excluded as a cause for arrest of cell growth in the LGN.