[Long-term reorganization of the neuronal activity in field 7 of the neocortex in the cat after unilateral section of the visual radiation].

Changes in functional characteristics of area 7 cells were studied in cats under semichronic experimental conditions. The experiments were done in various periods of time after unilateral dissection of visual subcortic-cortical fibres. Neuronal responses to visual, auditory, somatic stimuli and electrical stimulation of primary cortical areas were studied in intact and impaired hemispheres. Reappearing of neuronal sensitivity to stimuli of various sensory modalities was found in the partially isolated neocortex. Both the number of cells with local visual receptive fields and averaged receptive field size of the cells increased slowly after the operation. Some suggestions about the nature of plastic changes developing in neuronal nets of the parietal cortex after impairment of subcortico-cortical connections are made.