Interocular transfer in cats with early callosal transection.

The visual system is capable of reorganization following experimental interventions, provided that these are carried out before the 'critical period' early in life. Direct evidence suggests that this plasticity may also apply to the commissural system. In the present experiment, we sectioned the posterior two-thirds of the corpus callosum in kittens either before this structure attained maturity, as defined by various anatomical and physiological parameters, or after callosal maturation but before the end of the critical period for most other visual functions. As adult, further transection of the optic chiasma was carried out and these animals were then compared with adult split-brain cats for their ability to transfer monocularly learned pattern discriminations from one hemisphere to the other. Our results indicate that only the first group of animals with the earlier callosal transection demonstrated significant interhemispheric transfer. This suggests that the secondary commissural system is subject to at least some degree of functional plasticity. However, its critical period is very brief and possibly pre-dates the optimal activation of the callosal pathway.