Short-term monocular occlusion produces changes in ocular dominance by a reciprocal modulation of interocular inhibition

Eva Chadnova,Simon Clavagnier,Robert F Hess,Alexandre Reynaud

doi:10.1038/srep41747

Abstract

Ocular dominance can be modulated by short-term monocular deprivation. This changes the contribution that each eye makes to binocular vision, an example of adult cortical neuroplasticity. Optical imaging in primates and psychophysics in humans suggest these neuroplastic changes occur in V1. Here we use brain imaging (MEG) in normal adults to better understand the nature of these neuroplastic changes. The results suggest that short-term monocular deprivation, whether it be by an opaque or translucent patch, modulates dichoptic inhibitory interactions in a reciprocal fashion; the unpatched eye is inhibited, the patched eye is released from inhibition. These observations locate the neuroplastic changes to a level of visual processing where there are interocular inhibitory interactions prior to binocular combination and help to explain why both binocular rivalry and fusional tasks reveal them.

Highlights

We employ a more direct approach using MEG to investigate the nature of the neuroplastic changes underlying ocular dominance plasticity
The results suggest these neuroplastic changes occur at a dichoptic site and involve interocular reciprocal changes in inhibition
The results of the dichoptic interaction signals are more noteworthy because the results after patching show a reciprocal change with an increase in sensitivity for the previously patched eye and a decrement in sensitivity for the unpatched eye

Summary

Introduction

We employ a more direct approach using MEG to investigate the nature of the neuroplastic changes underlying ocular dominance plasticity. We use a frequency-tagging approach to identify the signals from each eye combined with a monocular and dichoptic stimulation to reveal how the modification of information in the primary visual cortex results in short term changes in ocular dominance. The results suggest these neuroplastic changes occur at a dichoptic site and involve interocular reciprocal changes in inhibition

Methods

Results

Conclusion