Cat retinal ganglion cell receptive-field alterations after 6-hydroxydopamine induced dopaminergic amacrine cell lesions

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985 · J. Neurophysiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5241837

Maguire, G W; Smith, III, E L

Optic tract single-unit recordings were used to study ganglion cell response functions of the intact cat eye after 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioning of the dopaminergic amacrine cell (AC) population of the inner retina. The impairment of the dopaminergic AC was verified by high pressure-liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection of endogenous dopamine content and by (/sup 3/H)dopamine high-affinity uptake; the dopaminergic ACs of the treated eyes demonstrated reduced endogenous dopamine content and reduced (/sup 3/H)dopamine uptake compared with that of their matched controls. Normal appearing (/sup 3/H)GABA and (/sup 3/H)-glycine uptake in the treated retinas suggests the absence of any nonspecific action of the 6-OHDA on the neural retina. The impairment of the dopaminergic AC population was found to alter a number of response properties in off-center ganglion cells, but this impairment had only a modest effect on the on-center cells. An abnormally high proportion of the off-center ganglion cells in the 6-OHDA treated eyes possessed nonlinear, Y-type receptive fields. These cells also possessed shift-responses of greater than normal amplitude, altered intensity-response functions, reduced maintained activities, and more transient center responses. Of the on-center type cells, only the Y-type on-center cells were affected by 6-OHDA, possessing higher than normal maintained activities and altered intensity-response functions. The on-center X-cells were unaffected by 6-OHDA treatment. The dopaminergic AC of the photopically adapted cat retina therefore modulates a number of ganglion cell response properties and within the limits of this study is most prominent in off-center ganglion cell circuitry.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Miami School of Medicine, FL
• OSTI ID: 5241837
• Journal Information: J. Neurophysiol.; (United States), Vol. 6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
DOPAMINE
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
RETINA
INJURIES
AFFINITY
CATS
GANGLIONS
GLYCINE
LIQUID COLUMN CHROMATOGRAPHY
NEUROREGULATORS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
UPTAKE
AMINES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BODY
BODY AREAS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CARDIOTONICS
CARDIOVASCULAR AGENTS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DRUGS
EYES
FACE
HEAD
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PHENOLS
POLYPHENOLS
SENSE ORGANS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SYMPATHOMIMETICS
VERTEBRATES
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