Visual deprivation modifies oscillatory activity in visual and auditory centers

Abstract

Loss of vision may enhance the capabilities of auditory perception, but the mechanisms mediating these changes remain elusive. Here, visual deprivation in rats resulted in altered oscillatory activities, which appeared to be the result of a common mechanism underlying neuronal assembly formation in visual and auditory centers. The power of high-frequency β and γ oscillations in V1 (the primary visual cortex) and β oscillations in the LGN (lateral geniculate nucleus) was increased after one week of visual deprivation. Meanwhile, the power of β oscillations in A1 (the primary auditory cortex) and the power of β and γ oscillations in the MGB (medial geniculate body) were also enhanced in the absence of visual input. Furthermore, nerve tracing revealed a bidirectional nerve fiber connection between V1 and A1 cortices, which might be involved in transmitting auditory information to the visual cortex, contributing to enhanced auditory perception after visual deprivation. These results may facilitate the better understanding of multisensory cross-modal plasticity.