Effect of Extirpation of Parastriate Cortex on Learned Visual Discriminations in Monkeys

Abstract

Monkeys were trained to discriminate between pairs of visual stimuli on the basis of size, shape, and color. Monkeys so trained lost the discrimination habit if areas 18 and 19 were destroyed bilaterally in one stage. The discrimination could be relearned post-operatively at approx. the same rate as originally. If the cortical destruction was carried out in 2. stages separated by an interval during which the testing was continued, no loss of discrimination occurred at anytime.