Involvement of beta-adrenoreceptors in the shift of ocular dominance after monocular deprivation.

In the visual cortex of young kittens, the extent of ocular dominance shift following brief monocular lid suture was less than expected in the hemisphere which had been locally perfused with beta-adrenergic receptor blockers at a moderate concentration. The present result was not due to the effect similar to binocular deprivation, since "local anesthetic effect" of beta-adrenergic blockers was unlikely to be involved in the present paradigm. Thus, the present results are consistent with the idea that beta-adrenergic receptors within the visual cortex are necessary, at least in part, for the regulation of visuocortical plasticity.