Cats raised in a one-directional world: effects on receptive fields in visual cortex and superior colliculus

Cats were reared in a visual environment in which irregularly-shaped patches of luminescent paint moved constantly leftward. The distribution of preferred directions and orientations of cortical neurons in these cats was examined. Most cortical neurons encountered had leftward components in their preferred directions, and although no anisotropy of orientation was present in the rearing environment, most cortical neurons responded optimally to stimuli oriented at or near vertical. Variations in the strength of the induced bias of direction and orientation were noted among the different subclasses of cortical neurons. Preferred velocities of cortical neurons did not appear matched to the velocity of stimuli in the rearing environment. The ocular dominance distribution among cortical neurons in the unidirectional cats was skewed toward the contralateral eye relative to normal cats. The distribution of preferred directions in collicular neurons was largely unaltered by the rearing procedures employed. As in normal cats, units in the left colliculus more frequently responded best to rightward stimulus movement while those in the right colliculus preferred leftward movement. The ocular dominance distribution among collicular units was somewhat skewed toward the contralateral eye.