Laminar Thermocoagulation of the Visual Cortex of the Rat

Abstract

Lesions were made in the visual cortex of hooded rats by laminar thermocoagulation and later examined using modifications of the Fink-Heimer method. Following lesions limited to supragranular layers a dense, descending projection to layer V was identified, as well as a probable projection to deep layer III, callosal and cortico-cortical projections, but no subcortical projections. The morphological changes in the degenerating systems were examined as a function of survival time. The anatomical basis of functional derangement related to superficial lesions of visual cortex was discussed.