Influence of the cortico-geniculate pathway on response properties of cat lateral geniculate neurons

The influence of the cortico-geniculate pathway on identified X and Y lateral geniculate cells was studied by reversibly cooling visual cortical areas 17 and 18. The majority (86.5%) of cells changed their response to visual stimulation when cortex was inactivated, and both X- and Y-cells were modulated by the cortical input. The influence of the visual cortex was complex, with both excitatory and inhibitory actions. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying the basic center-surround receptive field organization was influenced.