Loss of object discrimination after ablation of the superior colliculus-pretectum in binocularly deprived cats.

The effects of ablation of the superior colliculus-pretectum on a previously elaborated object discrimination task were compared in cats reared in normal conditions, in cats reared in the laboratory, and in cats deprived of patterned vision. The normally reared cats were least deficient postoperatively, whereas deprived cats were most deficient. Seven of 8 deprived cats failed to re-reach criterion. Previous results showed that after removal of the visual cortex deprived cats were less deficient than normally reared controls. It is concluded that in discrimination learning the function of the abnormal visual cortex of deprived cats is partially taken over by the superior colliculus-pretectum.