Development of Temporal Response Properties and Contrast Sensitivity of V1 and V2 Neurons in Macaque Monkeys

Abstract

Smith EL 3rd, Chino YM. Development of temporal response properties and contrast sensitivity of V1 and V2 neurons in macaque monkeys. J Neurophysiol 97: 3905-3916, 2007. First published April 11, 2007 doi:10.1152/jn.01320.2006. The temporal contrast sensitivity of human infants is reduced compared to that of adults. It is not known which neural structures of our visual brain sets limits on the early maturation of temporal vision. In this study we investigated how individual neurons in the primary visual cortex (V1) and visual area 2 (V2) of infant monkeys respond to temporal modulation of spatially optimized grating stimuli and a range of stimulus contrasts. As early as 2 wk of age, V1 and V2 neurons exhibited band-pass temporal frequency tuning. However, the optimal temporal frequency and temporal resolution of V1 neurons were much lower in 2-and 4-wk-old infants than in 8-wk-old infants or adults. V2 neurons of 8-wk-old monkeys had significantly lower optimal temporal frequencies and resolutions than those of adults. Onset latency was longer in V1 at 2 and 4 wk of age and was slower in V2 even at 8 wk of age than in adults. Contrast threshold of V1 and V2 neurons was substantially higher in 2-and 4-wk-old infants but became adultlike by 8 wk of age. For the first 4 wk of life, responses to high-contrast stimuli saturated more readily in V2. The present results suggest that although the early development of temporal vision and contrast sensitivity may largely depend on the functional maturation of precortical structures, it is also likely to be limited by immaturities that are unique to V1 and V2.

Relationship between Size Summation Properties, Contrast Sensitivity and Response Latency in the Dorsomedial and Middle Temporal Areas of the Primate Extrastriate Cortex

“…For example, in MT cells showing larger receptive fields had longer response latencies, and higher C 50 values. Conceptually, these observations parallel differences observed between the granular and supragranular layers of V1, or between V1 and V2 [46], [51], [52], [53]. However, our data suggest that these relationships are based on mechanisms that are more specific than simple hierarchical convergence.…”

Receptive‐field properties of V1 and V2 neurons in mice and macaque monkeys

“…The surgical preparation and recording procedures for the monkey experiments were described in detail elsewhere (Zheng et al, 2007). Briefly, the monkeys were initially anesthetized with an intramuscular injection of ketamine hydrochloride (15 – 20 mg/kg) and acepromazine maleate (0.15 – 0.2 mg/kg).…”

Pyramidal cell development: postnatal spinogenesis, dendritic growth, axon growth, and electrophysiology

“…Although they report that by 4 weeks of age the spatial receptive field structure in V2 is as complex as in adults (Zhang et al, 2013), but their ability to discriminate fine disparity differences was significantly reduced compared with adults (Maruko et al, 2008). V2 neurons of 8-week-old monkeys had significantly lower optimal temporal frequencies and resolutions than those of adults (Zheng et al, 2007). Neurons in area TE do not develop their adult-like response properties until even later in development (Rodman et al, 1993), consistent with our findings of continued growth and branching from birth.…”