Cytochrome oxidase and neurofilament reactivity in monocularly deprived human primary visual cortex

Cereb Cortex. 2007 Jun;17(6):1283-91. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhl038. Epub 2006 Jul 10.

Abstract

Previous studies of human primary visual cortex (V1) have demonstrated a significant eye-specific decrease in cytochrome oxidase (CO) staining following monocular enucleation. We have extended these results by examining CO staining and neurofilament labeling in V1 from a patient with long-standing monocular blindness. A pattern of reduced neurofilament reactivity was found to align with pale CO-stained ocular dominance columns. Neurons located within deprived ocular dominance columns were significantly smaller compared with those in nondeprived columns. A spatial analysis of the relationship between CO blobs and ocular dominance columns revealed that both deprived and nondeprived blobs tended to align with the centers of ocular dominance columns.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Blindness / metabolism*
  • Blindness / pathology*
  • Electron Transport Complex IV / metabolism*
  • Eye Enucleation
  • Female
  • Geniculate Bodies / cytology
  • Geniculate Bodies / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Neurofilament Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurons / enzymology
  • Optic Nerve / cytology
  • Optic Nerve / metabolism
  • Vision, Monocular / physiology
  • Visual Cortex / cytology
  • Visual Cortex / metabolism*
  • Visual Pathways / cytology
  • Visual Pathways / metabolism

Substances

  • Neurofilament Proteins
  • Electron Transport Complex IV