A comparison of cell size changes in central and pericentral representations within the primate lateral geniculate nucleus following early monocular deprivation

Abstract Mean cell areas have been measured in the most posterior part of the lateral geniculate nucleus containing the representation of central retina in 8 normal monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ) and in 5 monkeys following monocular closure from birth. Comparisons with cell size changes at a more anterior level, where pericentral retina is represented, show that size changes of parvocellular cells at the posterior level are significantly less, being only between half and two-thirds of those more anteriorly. The undeprived cells undergo less initial hypertrophy than cells at a more anterior level and subsequently the deprived cells show less shrinkage. There is no comparable difference for magnocellular cells.