RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Spatial contrast sensitivity of dark-reared cats with striate cortex lesions JF The Journal of Neuroscience JO J. Neurosci. FD Society for Neuroscience SP 2419 OP 2424 DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.04-10-02419.1984 VO 4 IS 10 A1 S Lehmkuhle A1 SM Sherman A1 KE Kratz YR 1984 UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/4/10/2419.abstract AB We measured the spatial contrast sensitivity of two dark-reared cats before and after bilateral ablations of area 17 and parts of area 18. These lesions produced large deficits in the contrast sensitivity of both cats at intermediate and high spatial frequencies. This postoperative reduction in contrast sensitivity in dark-reared cats is relatively similar to the sensitivity deficits produced by the same cortical lesions in normally reared cats. However, both pre- and postoperatively, the normally reared cats exhibited contrast sensitivity that is clearly superior to that of the dark-reared cats. The results demonstrate both that striate cortex is significantly involved in the spatial contrast sensitivity of dark-reared cats and that dark rearing produces widespread deficits, independent of those in striate cortex, through much of the visual system.