CHANGES IN THE RECEPTIVE-FIELDS OF CAT RETINAL GANGLION-CELLS AFFECTED BY PRESSURE ON THE OPTIC-NERVE

In the cat optic nerve a lesion was induced by brief application of pr essure. It selectively blocked impulse conduction in large diameter fi bres of the retinal ganglion cells. Electrophysiological examination o f single optic axons several weeks later demonstrated a gross alterati on of the visual properties of the affected BT/Y ganglion cells. It is suggested that the alteration of receptive field properties may refle ct the cellular and dendritic response to distant focal injury of the axon.