Receptive field properties of simple and complex striate neurons in Siamese cats

Responses of striate cortical cells in Midwestern Siamese cats to moving slits and stationary flashed spots were recorded and compared to similar data in common cat controls obtained under identical experimental conditions. Over 90% of the neurons sampled had receptive fields within 10 degrees of the area centralis. The proportion of binocularly excited cells in Siamese striate cortex was less than that found in the control cats, but more than has previously been reported, and was inversely related to the extent of convergent misalignment exhibited by each animal. Those striate neurons which could be driven by either eye had normal binocular receptive fields and demonstrated normal binocular interaction effects except facilitation. Receptive field dimensions (length, width, area) were significantly larger in Siamese than in common cats. For the simple cells, strabismic Siamese cats had larger receptive fields than orthophoric Siamese cats. Average spontaneous activity in Siamese cats was significantly higher than in the controls. However, similar encounter rates of simple, complex, and hypercomplex units were observed in both Siamese and common cats, and peak responses were not different. Velocity preference in complex Siamese units was shifted to slower velocities compared to common cat complex cells. A loss of direction selectivity was also revealed in the Siamese simple and complex neurons. Finally, sharpness of orientation tuning was dramatically reduced in Siamese complex cells, and this reduction was directly related to the extent of convergent squint exhibited by each animal. The results are discussed in terms of developmental anomalies and neurophysiological retinal abnormalities in Siamese cats.