Evidence for spatial structure in the cortical input to the monkey lateral geniculate nucleus

Abstract
We combined visual stimulation of the corticogeniculate pathway with cryogenic blockade of area 17 to examine the visual spatial structure of the cortical influence on single macaque LGN cells. Excitatory central areas surrounded by inhibitory regions and vice versa were found with equal frequency. Unstructured influences were also seen. The structure of the influence suggests that modulation of the spatial parameter may be an important function for the corticogeniculate pathway.