Bypassing V1: A direct geniculate input to area MT

Lawrence C. Sincich, Ken F. Park, Melville J. Wohlgemuth, Jonathan C. Horton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

403 Scopus citations

Abstract

Thalamic nuclei are thought to funnel sensory information to the brain's primary cortical areas, which in turn transmit signals afresh to higher cortical areas. Here we describe a direct projection in the macaque monkey from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) to the motion-selective middle temporal area (MT or V5), a cortical area not previously considered 'primary'. The constituent neurons are mostly koniocellular, send virtually no collateral axons to primary visual cortex (V1) and equal about 10% of the V1 population innervating MT. This pathway could explain the persistence of motion sensitivity in subjects following injury to V1, suggesting more generally that residual perception after damage in a primary area may arise from sparse thalamic input to 'secondary' cortical areas.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1123-1128
Number of pages6
JournalNature neuroscience
Volume7
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2004
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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