The distribution of interhemispheric projections in area 18 of the cat: coincidence with discontinuities of the representation of the visual field in the second visual area (V2).

In normal adult cats three regions with callosal projections from the contralateral visual areas 17, 18, and 19 have been identified at the lateral border of area 18 by degeneration techniques (Sanides, 1978). The visuotopic distribution of these callosal patches has now been investigated by combining anatomical with physiological techniques. The centers of the receptive fields recorded in the callosal patches are located on or close to the vertical meridian in the contralateral hemifield reaching eccentricities of about 15 deg. Some of these fields are of extraordinary size crossing the vertical meridian and covering large areas of the ipsilateral hemifield. On the other hand, receptive fields recorded from the acallosal parts of lateral area 18 may reach eccentricities of more than 50 deg. Thus, the callosal patches of lateral area 18 are wedged in between parts of lateral area 18 which represent the periphery of the contralateral hemifield. It is concluded that the retinotopic arrangement at lateral area 18 (the second visual area) distinguishes this area fundamentally from area 17, the primary visual area.