Lateral geniculate neurons show robust ocular dominance plasticity

Abstract

Experience-dependent plasticity in the mature visual system is considered exclusively cortical. Using chronic two-photon Ca2+ imaging, we found evidence against this tenet: dLGN cells showed robust ocular dominance shifts after monocular deprivation. Most, but not all responses of dLGN cell boutons in binocular visual cortex were monocular during baseline. Following deprivation, however, deprived-eye dominated boutons became responsive to the non-deprived eye. Thus, plasticity of dLGN neurons contributes to cortical ocular dominance shifts.