Quantitative study of cortical orientation selectivity in visually inexperienced kitten

Abstract

1. Extracellular recordings were made from single units in the visual cortices of six kittens deprived of experience with pattern vision by binocular lid suture. 2. Selectivity for stimulus orientation was quantitatively assessed in 98 units; 90 responded selectively to the orientation of a moving bar stimulus, the remainder responding nonselectively or too poorly to classify. Cells in these visually inexperienced kittens were similar in their degree of selectivity for orientation to cells tested in adult cats. However, responses tended to be weaker and somewhat more erratic. 3. About half the cells in this simple responded to both directions of stimulus motion at the optimal orientation. Most of those responding to only one direction of motion were considered orientation rather than direction selective because they responded more strongly or more selectively to a moving bar than to a moving spot. 4. Cells appeared to be organized within the cortex in a pattern similar to that found in adult cats, with cells in one column selective for the same orientation, and adjacent column having similar preferred orientations. 5. It is concluded that selectivity for stimulus orientation in the cat's visual cortex is innately determined.