Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 11, 3794-3808, Copyright © 1991 by Society for Neuroscience
A computational model for the overall pattern of ocular dominance
DG Jones, RC Van Sluyters and KM Murphy
Department of Computer Science, Stanford University, California 94305.
In layer IV of the primary visual cortex, in both the macaque monkey and
the cat, geniculocortical terminals representing the two eyes are
segregated into alternating zones known as ocular dominance bands. Viewed
tangentially, in the monkey these bands take the form of a series of
branching parallel stripes that run roughly perpendicular to the border of
striate cortex. In the cat, the overall ocular dominance pattern consists
of irregularly branching, beaded bands that exhibit no predominant
orientation. If the striking differences in the appearance of these two
patterns reflect important differences in the basic rules governing
cortical ocular dominance, then this poses a problem for attempts to
formulate general principles of visual cortical organization. However, it
has been suggested that the differences in the appearance of the ocular
dominance patterns in these two species could result simply from known
differences in the boundary conditions of their geniculocortical pathways.
This article describes the formulation and testing of a single
computational model that accurately predicts the quite dissimilar ocular
dominance patterns in cats and monkeys. This model also generalizes to
predict the different ocular dominance patterns observed in young and old
three-eyed frogs, supporting the notion that the overall pattern of ocular
dominance is governed by a common set of rules. The significance of these
results is discussed in terms of previous models, which have focused
largely on local processes underlying the development of ocular dominance
segregation. Although the present model is not a developmental one, it does
shed some light on potential mechanisms for establishing retinotopy in
striate cortex and on possible developmental relationships between the
geniculostriate pathway and intrinsic modularity of the striate cortex.
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