VISUAL PROCESSING AND SMOOTH EYE MOVEMENTS

这个子项目是许多利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 研究中心，而研究中心不一定是研究者所在的机构。 幼年灵长类动物（猴子和人类）的视觉系统在出生时是不成熟的，容易受到伤害。在美国出生的儿童中，至少有3%在生命的第一年因病理性视觉运动发育而丧失视觉功能。 我们的研究旨在了解正常视眼功能所必需的皮质-皮质和皮质-脑干回路的作用，以及这些回路在不同的发育障碍（如斜视和弱视）中如何受损。我们使用特殊的饲养技术，包括手术或棱镜诱导斜视，创造一个猕猴与婴儿内斜视综合征的组成部分。 然后，我们能够检查与有缺陷的凝视（眼球震颤），错位的眼睛（斜视）和受损的眼球运动（不对称跟踪）相关的神经机制。例如，我们已经证明，在视束（NOT）的顶盖前核神经元不能开发双眼的敏感性在动物早发性斜视。 在NOT中缺乏双眼敏感性导致潜伏性眼球震颤（LN）。与P.I.合作在WaNPRC建立新的实验室。从耶基斯NPRC转移到WaNPRC是去年进展的主要部分。 我们的研究的完成将提供重要的信息，可能导致改善诊断和治疗方案的发育障碍影响儿童的视力和眼球运动。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The visual system of infant primates (monkey and human) is immature at birth and subject to injury. At least 3% of children born in the U.S. experience loss of visual function due to pathological visual-motor developmental in the first year of life. Our studies are directed at understanding the role of cortical-cortical and cortical-brainstem circuits essential for normal visual-oculomotor function and how these circuits are compromised in different developmental disorders such as strabismus and amblyopia. We use special rearing techniques including surgical or prism induced strabismus to create a macaque with components of infantile esotropia syndrome. We are then able to examine neural mechanisms associated with defective gaze-holding (nystagmus), misaligned eyes (strabismus) and impaired eye movements (asymmetric tracking). For example, we have demonstrated that neurons in the pretectal nucleus of the optic tract (NOT) fail to develop binocular sensitivity in animals with early onset strabismus. Lack of binocular sensitivity in the NOT leads to latent nystagmus (LN). Setting up a new laboratory at WaNPRC in association with the P.I.'s move from Yerkes NPRC to WaNPRC has been a major part of the progress during the last year. Completion of our studies will provide important information that could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment options for developmental disorders affecting vision and eye movements in children.