INHIBITION OF NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE DOES NOT ALTER OCULAR DOMINANCE SHIFTS IN KITTEN VISUAL-CORTEX

1. Since nitric oxide has been proposed as a feedback factor in plasti city in the hippocampus, we tested whether it might also be a feedback factor in sensory-dependent plasticity in the cat visual cortex. 2. T he effects of monocular deprivation were compared between eight hemisp heres with infusion of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and eight co ntrol hemispheres with either infusion of the inactive isomer, or no i nfusion. Although nitric oxide synthase activity was reduced significa ntly the ocular dominance histograms were not substantially different in the two groups of animals. We conclude that the feedback factor for sensory-dependent plasticity in the visual cortex is likely to be som e factor other than nitric oxide.