Retinal ganglion-cell densities and soma sizes are unaffected by long-term monocular deprivation in the cat

Abstract

Three cats were raised with monocular deprivation for 5.2–7.2 years, and ganglion-cell densities and soma sizes were measured in their flat-mounted retinae. The retinae were Nissl-stained so that ganglion cells could be measured whether or not they maintained normal central projections. Measurements were made in the area centralis, peripheral binocular segment, and monocular segment of the retinae. There were no significant differences between the deprived and non-deprived retinae in the densities or soma-sizes of α cells or other (non-α) ganglion cells at any of these retinal locations. These results support the view that the most distal effects of monocular deprivation occur at the retino-geniculate contact, and they suggest that even after long-term monocular deprivation, effects in the lateral geniculate nucleus do not produce secondary, retrograde changes in the retina.