Iso-orientation domains in cat visual cortex are arranged in pinwheel-like patterns (original) (raw)

Nature volume 353, pages 429–431 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

THE mammalian cortex is organized in a columnar fashion: neurons lying below each other from the pia to the white matter usually share many functional properties. Across the cortical surface, cells with similar response properties are also clustered together, forming elongated bands or patches. Some response properties, such as orientation preference in the visual cortex, change gradually across the cortical surface forming 'orientation maps'. To determine the precise layout of iso-orientation domains, knowledge of responses not only to one but to many stimulus orientations is essential. Therefore, the exact depiction of orientation maps has been hampered by technical difficulties and remained controversial for almost thirty years. Here we use in vivo optical imaging based on intrinsic signals to gather information on the responses of a piece of cortex to gratings in many different orientations. This complete set of responses then provides detailed information on the structure of the orientation map in a large patch of cortex from area 18 of the cat. We find that cortical regions that respond best to one orientation form highly ordered patches rather than elongated bands. These iso-orientation patches are organized around 'orientation centres', producing pinwheel-like patterns in which the orientation preference of cells is changing continuously across the cortex. We have also analysed our data for fast changes in orientation preference and find that these 'fractures' are limited to the orientation centres. The pinwheels and orientation centres are such a prominent organizational feature that it should be important to understand their development as well as their function in the processing of visual information.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hubel, D. H. & Wiesel, T. N. J. Physiol., Lond. 160, 106–154 (1963).
    Article Google Scholar
  2. Hubel, D. H., Wiesel, T. N. & Stryker, M. P. J. comp. Neurol. 177, 361–380 (1978).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Seelen, W. v. Kybernetik 7, 89–106 (1970).
    Article Google Scholar
  4. Braitenberg, V. & Braitenberg, C. Biol. Cybern. 33, 179–186 (1979).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  5. Grinvald, A., Lieke, E., Frostig, R. D., Gilbert, C. D. & Wiesel, T. N. Nature 324, 361–364 (1986).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  6. Löwel, S., Freeman, B. & Singer, W. J. comp. Neurol. 255, 401–415 (1987).
    Article Google Scholar
  7. Swindale, N. V., Matsubara, J. A. & Cynader, M. S. J. Neurosci. 7(5), 1414–1427 (1987).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Hubel, D. H. & Wiesel, T. N. J. Physiol., Lond. 160, 106–154 (1962).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  9. Hubel, D. H. & Wiesel, T. N. J. comp. Neurol. 158, 267–293 (1974).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  10. Blasdel, G. G. & Salama, G. Nature 321, 579–585 (1986).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  11. Swindale, N. V. Proc. R. Soc. B215, 211–230 (1982).
    ADS CAS Google Scholar
  12. Linsker, R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 8779–8783 (1986).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  13. Götz, K. G. Biol. Cybern. 56, 107–109 (1987).
    Article Google Scholar
  14. Durbin, R. & Mitchison, G. Nature 343, 644–647 (1990).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  15. Obermayer, K., Ritter, H. & Schulten, K. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 8245–8349 (1990).
    Google Scholar
  16. Frostig, R. D., Lieke, E. E., Ts'o, D. Y. & Grinvald, A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 6082–6086 (1990).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  17. Ts'o, D. Y., Frostig, R. D., Lieke, E. E. & Grinvald, A. Science 249, 417–420 (1990).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  18. Ratzlaff, E. H. & Grinvald, A. J. Neurosci. Meth. 36, 127–137 (1991).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  19. Batschelet, E. Circular Statistics in Biology (Academic, New York, 1981).
    MATH Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Tobias Bonhoeffer
    Present address: Max-Planck Institute for Brain Research, Deutschordenstrasse 46, 6000, Frankfurt, 71, Germany
  2. Amiram Grinvald
    Present address: Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 7600, Israel

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Rockefeller University, Laboratory of Neurobiology, 1230 York Avenue, New York, New York, 10021
    Tobias Bonhoeffer & Amiram Grinvald
  2. IBM Research Division, Yorktown Heights, New York, 10598, USA
    Tobias Bonhoeffer & Amiram Grinvald
  3. The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
    Tobias Bonhoeffer & Amiram Grinvald

Authors

  1. Tobias Bonhoeffer
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Amiram Grinvald
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bonhoeffer, T., Grinvald, A. Iso-orientation domains in cat visual cortex are arranged in pinwheel-like patterns.Nature 353, 429–431 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/353429a0

Download citation

This article is cited by