Is the LGN obligatory for visually guided behvior?
Visual information from the retina is relayed to primary visual cortex (V1) by neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN). Information from V1 is sent to higher visual area and is presumed to underlie performance of visual tasks. But in mammals, information from the retina is also sent to other subcortical targets, notably the optic tectum (superior colliculus, SC). Moreover, humans with lesions in V1, despite subjective blindness, are able to perform above chance on visual tasks, a phenomenon known as blindsight. Thus, it remains an empirical question whether any given visual behavior is mediated by the LGN-V1 pathway. We have set out to determine whether rats with bilateral lesions to the LGN have any spared visual abilities.

This project makes use of the anatomy of retinal projections in the rat, and our development of several visual behaviors in rats. The project is funded by the Kavli Institute of Mind and Brain.