Optic chiasm split and binocularity diminution in cortical cells of acute and of chronic operated adult cats

The ocular dominance, responsiveness level and receptive field properties of single cortical cells were studied in 12 acute and chronic split chiasm adult cats (729 cells) and in 13 normal controls (544 cells). Recording was made from the border between visual areas 17/18. Responsive cells in the operated cats were obtained exclusively (87.1%) following stimulation of the ipsilateral eye, except for a very few cells (2.5%) which were binocularly driven. In comparison, only few (10.9%) of the cells in the normal control cats were driven ipsilaterally and the majority of them (74.5%) were binocularly driven. Relatively small proportions of cells (46.1%) were visually responsive in the acute (< 1 week postoperatively) and in the most chronic (> 6 months) cats, in comparison to the normal cats (87.3%). No consistent change was found in the responsiveness level of cortical cells as function of length of the survival time (correlation coefficient: -0.45). Only a very slight tendency for a relative increase in binocularly driven cells with survival time was found as well as a reduction in the proportion of nonspecific cells. However, in view of the general absence of binocularity and responsivity in these cats, it was concluded that no recovery was found, even long after the elimination of the contralateral inputs.