The long term goal of the proposed research is to increase the understanding of the anatomical basis of visual information processing in the geniculostriate system of normal and visually deprived primates. The focus will be on rhesus monkeys during their first few weeks of life. The first goal is to study in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and area 17 the normal maturational sequence of certain putative neuromodulator/neurotransmitter systems to determine whether these substances have the potential to play a functional role during the system's normal development. Another focus will be on layer 4 of area 17.
One aim i s to study exact time course and progress of segregation of left and right eye inputs into ocular dominance columns (ODC) to establish for how long and to what degree the initial overlap of these inputs persists in early life. Another aim is the determination of the time course of maturation of the different horizontal subdivisions of this layer which receive magno- or parvocellular LGN input, and thus to determine whether these 2 channels follow different maturation times. The baseline data will serve to evaluate consequences of early postnatal interventions into the development of the geniculostriate system via different types of visual deprivation to study the effects of the selective deprivation paradigms on the interactions between LGN and area 17. Identification of other anatomical consequences of deprivation, i.e. changes in enzyme and transmitter distribution, is equally important. Cyto- and immunohistochemical methods, and orthograde and transneuronal transport techniques will be used. Birth is the time when visual experience exerts its first impact on the system, and is capable of initiating events which can determine the future course of the proper functional development of the system. Therefore, these studies should help to determine how neuronal development proceeds under normal visual stimulation and to which degree abnormal stimulation effects this development in early infancy. These studies may uncover some basic mechanisms underlying not only normal visual information processing, but also visual system dysfunctions. Because of close similarities between the rhesus monkey's and the human visual system, the data are highly relevant for the clinical management of human visual system disorders like amblyopia, strabismus and congenital cataracts.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01EY006001-01
Application #
3261881
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Project Start
1985-07-01
Project End
1988-06-30
Budget Start
1985-07-01
Budget End
1986-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1985
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Emory University
Department
Type
Primate Centers
DUNS #
042250712
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30322
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Tigges, M; Tigges, J; Fernandes, A et al. (1990) Postnatal axial eye elongation in normal and visually deprived rhesus monkeys. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 31:1035-46
Quick, M W; Tigges, M; Gammon, J A et al. (1989) Early abnormal visual experience induces strabismus in infant monkeys. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30:1012-7
Tigges, M; Tigges, J; McDonald, J K et al. (1989) Postnatal development of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in area 17 of normal and visually deprived rhesus monkeys. Vis Neurosci 2:315-28
Iuvone, P M; Tigges, M; Fernandes, A et al. (1989) Dopamine synthesis and metabolism in rhesus monkey retina: development, aging, and the effects of monocular visual deprivation. Vis Neurosci 2:465-71
McDonald, J K; Tigges, J; Tigges, M et al. (1988) Developmental study of neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in the neurohypophysis and intermediate lobe of the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta). Cell Tissue Res 254:499-509
Wilson, J R; Fernandes, A; Chandler, C V et al. (1987) Abnormal development of the axial length of aphakic monkey eyes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 28:2096-9