Effect of monocular enucleation or impulse blockage on gamma-aminobutyric acid and cytochrome oxidase levels in neurons of the adult cat lateral geniculate nucleus.

Much attention has been paid to the effect of various types of neonatally induced retinal insults on neurons of the cat lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Little is known about cellular adjustment to functional alterations commencing in the adult. The present study was aimed at examining the effect of monocular enucleation or retinal impulse blockade on mature neurons of the cat LGN and perigeniculate nucleus. In addition to labeling the relay neurons with cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, and presumed interneurons with GABA immunohistochemistry, the two markers were also combined in the same section. The results showed that GABA-immunoreactive neurons in the LGN can be subdivided into two major groups: highly immunoreactive neurons (Hir) and moderately immunoreactive neurons (Mir). These two groups differed slightly in their size and CO levels. With monocular enucleation or TTX treatment, there was a reduction in the numerical density of Hir and a concomitant increase in Mir in the affected laminae. However, there was no evidence of a reduction in GABA immunoreactivity in neurons of the perigeniculate nucleus. With regard to relay cells our data were in agreement with our previous findings (Kageyama & Wong-Riley, 1985) that there was a statistically significant positive correlation between cell size and CO levels, so that neurons with large cross-sectional areas were predominately darkly reactive for CO (DCO), while medium-to-small neurons were mainly moderate to lightly reactive (M/LCO). After monocular enucleation or TTX injections, the numerical density and size of DCO were significantly reduced, while those of M/LCO were proportionally increased in the affected laminae, indicating a conversion of some DCO to M/LCO. The results indicate that the maintenance of CO levels in predominately the large relay cells and GABA levels in a subclass of small neurons of the mature cat LGN are activity-dependent and are highly sensitive to retinal insults.