Cortical basis of binocular depth perception

摘要 视觉系统的功能特性对正常视觉的破坏最敏感， 发展的“关键时期”。有趣的是，几个功能特性的关键期，如眼 优势和敏锐度，在发展过程中重叠。在这些重叠的关键时期视力异常， 例如因为白内障或两只眼睛错位，是弱视的原因。弱视是一种 儿童中普遍存在的视觉障碍，可出现多种视觉问题中的任何一种，包括视力低下 敏锐度和深度知觉受损。然而，深度知觉如何受到异常视觉的影响仍然存在 难以捉摸。在拟议的研究中，我们调查的电路基础的发展和可塑性的深度 老鼠的感知立体视觉的发展比其他特征的发展要慢得多， 视觉，并依赖于双眼视差的复杂特性。眼睛之间的差异是产生 深度的感知。我们将通过以下方式来描述其发展和可塑性的多个维度： 这是依赖于双目视觉的自然深度辨别任务的优点。在同一时期，我们 将用双光子显微镜测量复杂的视差特性如何在视觉皮层中得到改善， LM区（一个次要的双眼视觉区），以及他们如何以及何时对异常视觉敏感。 了解双眼深度知觉的特性和这些特性的发展将提供 开发治疗弱视等发育性视觉障碍的治疗方法的基金会 导致立体视觉缺陷

Abstract The functional properties of the visual system are most sensitive to disruptions of normal vision during developmental ‘critical periods’. Interestingly, the critical periods for several functional properties, such as ocular dominance and acuity, overlap during development. Abnormal vision during these overlapping critical periods, because of cataracts or misalignment of the two eyes for example, is the cause of amblyopia. Amblyopia is a prevalent visual disorder in children and can present with any of several visual problems including lower visual acuity and impaired depth perception. Yet, how depth perception is affected by abnormal vision has remained elusive. In the proposed research, we investigate the circuit basis for the development and plasticity of depth perception in the mouse. The development of stereoscopic vision is much slower than other characteristics of vision and relies on complex properties of binocular disparity. Disparity between the eyes is what produces the perception of depth. We will characterize multiple dimensions of its development and plasticity by taking advantage of a natural depth discrimination task that depends on binocular vision. Over this same period, we will measure with two-photon microscopy how complex disparity properties are refined in the visual cortex and area LM (a secondary binocular visual area), as well as how and when they are sensitive to abnormal vision. Understanding the properties of binocular depth perception and the development of those properties will provide a foundation for developing therapeutic approaches to treat developmental visual disorders such as amblyopia that cause stereovision deficits.