Receptive field properties of neurons in the visual cortex of the rat

The receptive field properties of neurons were examined in the visual cortex, area 17, of Long--Evans pigmented rats. Visually responsive cells comprised 90% of cells recorded in area 17. Five percent of these cells responded only to stationary stimuli, while the remaining responded to both stationary and moving stimuli or only to movement. Cells of the latter category were classified as complex (44%), simple (27%), hypercomplex (13%) or non-oriented (16%). The results presented here show that, contrary to existing reports, neurons in the rat visual cortex have well-defined receptive field properties.