Authors: N S Merkul’eva F N Makarov
Publish Date: 2008/09/18
Volume: 38, Issue: 8, Pages: 849-853
Abstract
The distribution of the enzyme cytochrome oxidase CO in continuous series of parasagittal sections from field 17 and frontal sections of the dorsal nucleus of the lateral geniculate body LGB from normal kittens and adult cats was studied In all cats apart from neonates layer IV showed regularly alternating areas with abovebackground levels of CO activity “spots” There was a significant increase in the contrast of the “spots” from days 13 to 21 which was followed by a significant decrease from days 48 to 93 These changes coincided with ontogenetic changes in the level of visual system plasticity There were no differences in CO activity between layers A and A1 of the dorsal nucleus of the LGB It is suggested that the nonuniform distribution of the level of functional activity of neurons in field 17 reflects the formation of columnar cortical structures during the critical period of postnatal ontogenesis
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