Specific ganglion cell death induced by intravitreal kainic acid in the chicken retina.

In young chickens, intravitreal kainic acid (60 nmol) causes axonal and terminal degeneration in some retinorecipient areas of the chicken brain. The accessory optic nuclei are markedly affected, suggesting that the large displaced ganglion cells are destroyed by kainic acid, and a specific pattern of degeneration is caused in the optic tectum, which suggests that other minor ganglion cell groups may also be sensitive to intravitreal kainic acid.