The lateral geniculate nucleus in human strabismic amblyopia.

Cell shrinkage in monkey lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) layers supplied by the amblyopic eye have been described in experimental amblyopia caused by visual deprivation, anisometropia, and strabismus. A human brain from a strabismic amblyope became available for study and the authors compared cell sizes in LGN layers receiving input from the normal and the amblyopic eye. Significant cell shrinkage was present in layers connected with the amblyopic eye, and was most evident in the ipsilateral LGN. These findings support the validity of the monkey model for the study of strabismic amblyopia by showing, for the first time, changes in the brain from a human strabismic amblyope that are similar to those previously described in monkeys.