Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

Visual experience and cortical development

Nature volume 258, pages 199–204 (1975)Cite this article

Abstract

The past twelve years have been exciting for those interested in the classical question, “How much do our visual capacities depend on innate developmental factors, how much on the moulding effects of visual experience?” Recent papers1–4 have settled some issues, but may start new waves of controversy, and this is the occasion for writing this review.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Stryker, M. P., and Sherk, H., Science (in the press).

  2. Blakemore, C. B., and Van Sluyters, R. C., J. Physiol., Lond., 248, 663–716 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cragg, B. G., J. comp. Neurol., 160, 147–166 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Buisseret, P., and Imbert, M., J. Physiol., Lond. (in the press).

  5. Wiesel, T. N., and Hubel, D. H., J. Neurophysiol., 26, 1004–1017 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. Physiol., Lond., 160, 106–154 (1962).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. Neurophysiol., 28, 1041–1059 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Wiesel, T. N., and Hubel, D. H., J. Neurophysiol., 28, 1029–1040 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Sherman, S. M., Guillery, R. W., Kaas, J. H., and Sanderson, K. J., J. comp. Neurol., 158, 1–18 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. Neurophysiol., 26, 994–1002 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. comp. Neurol., 158, 307–318 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. Physiol., Lond., 206, 419–436 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Wiesel, T. N., and Hubel, D. H., J. Neurophysiol., 28, 1060–1072 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Blakemore, C., and Van Sluyters, R. C., J. Physiol., Lond., 237, 195–216 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Movshon, J. A., and Blakemore, C., Nature, 251, 504–505 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Movshon, J. A., thesis, Univ. Cambridge (1975).

  17. Olson, C. R., and Freeman, R. D., J. Neurophysiol., 38, 26–32 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Barlow, H. B., Blakemore, C., and Pettigrew, J. D., J. Physiol., Lond., 193, 327–342 (1967).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Nikara, T., Bishop, P. O., and Pettigrew, J. D., Expl Brain Res., 6, 353–372 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Barlow, H. B., and Pettigrew, J. D., J. Physiol., Lond., 218, 98–100P (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Pettigrew, J. D., J. Physiol., Lond., 237, 49–74 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Imbert, M., and Buisseret, P., Expl Brain Res., 22, 25–36 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bishop, P. O., Henry, G. H., and Smith, C. J., J. Physiol., Lond., 216, 39–68 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Hirsch, H. V. B., and Spinelli, D. N., Science, 168, 869–871 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Hirsch, H. V. B., and Spinelli, D. N., Expl Brain Res., 13, 509–527 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Blakemore, C., and Cooper, G. F., Nature, 228, 477–478 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Shlear, R., Science, 173, 638–641 (1971).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Spinelli, D. N., Hirsch, H. V. B., Phelps, R. W., and Metzler, J., Expl Brain Res., 15, 289–304 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Blakemore, C., and Mitchell, D. E., Nature, 241, 467–468 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Cynader, M., Berman, N., and Hein, A., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 70, 1353–1354 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Olson, C. R., and Pettigrew, J. D., Brain Res., 70, 189–204 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Pettigrew, J. D., and Garey, L. J., Brain Res., 66, 160–164 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Tretter, R., Cynader, M. S., and Singer, W., Brain Res., 84, 143–149 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Cynader, M., Berman, N., and Hein, A., Expl Brain Res., 22, 267–280 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Daw, N. W., and Wyatt, H. J., J. Physiol., Lond., (in the press).

  36. Pettigrew, J. D., and Freeman, R., Science, 182, 599–601 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Van Sluyters, R. C., and Blakemore, C., Nature, 246, 506–508 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Pettigrew, J. D., Olson, C., and Hirsch, H. V. B., Brain Res., 51, 345–351 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Blakemore, C., Van Sluyters, R. C., Peck, C. K., and Hein, A., Nature, 257, 584–586 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Vital-Durand, F., and Jeannerod, M., Brain Res., 71, 249–257 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Muir, D. W., and Mitchell, D. E., Brain Res., 85, 459–477 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Dews, P. B., and Wiesel, T. N., J. Physiol., Lond., 206, 437–455 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Ganz, L., in Handbook of Sensory Physiology (edit. by Held, R., Leibowitz, H., and Teuber, H.-L.), 8 (Springer, Berlin, in the press).

  44. Mize, R. R., and Murphy, E. H., Science, 180, 320–323 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Daw, N. W., and Wyatt, H. J., J. Physiol., Lond., 240, 309–330 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Maffei, L., and Fiorentini, A., Science, 186, 447–449 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Otten, U., and Thoenen, H., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 72, 1415–1419 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Peck, C. K., and Blakemore, C., Expl Brain Res., 22, 57–68 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Campbell, F. W., and Green, D. G., J. Physiol., Lond., 181, 576–593 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Ikeda, H., and Wright, M. J., J. Physiol., Lond., 232, 34–35P (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  51. Bonds, A. B., J. Physiol., Lond., 243, 777–795 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Enroth-Cugell, C., and Robson, J., J. Physiol., Lond., 239, 30–31P (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  53. Andrews, D. P., Webb, J. M., and Miller, D. T., Vision Res., 14, 757–766 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. comp. Neurol., 158, 267–294 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Hubel, D. H., and Wiesel, T. N., J. comp. Neurol., 158, 295–306 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Creutzfeldt, O., Innocenti, G. M., and Brooks, D., Expl Brain Res., 21, 315–336 (1974).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  57. Atkinson, J., Francis, M., and Campbell, F. W., Perception (in the press).

  58. Andrews, D. P., Butcher, A. K., and Buckley, B. R., Vision Res., 13, 599–620 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Platt, J. R., Scient. Am., 202, 121–129 (1960).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Andrews, D. P., Q. Jl exp. Psychol., 16, 104–115 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Freeman, D. N., and Marg, E., Nature, 254, 614–615 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Mitchell, D. E., Griffin, F., Wilkinson, F., Anderson, P., and Smith, M. L., Vision Res. (in the press).

  63. Atkinson, J., Braddick, O., and Braddick, F., Nature, 247, 403–404 (1974).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Teller, D. Y., Mase, R., Baton, R., and Regal, D., Vision Res., 14, 1433–1439 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Gregory, R. L., and Wallace, J. G., Q. Jl exp. Psychol., Suppl. 2 (1963).

  66. Riesen, A. H., Prog. Physiol. Psychol. 1, 117–147 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  67. Ackroyd, C., Humphrey, N. K., and Warrington, E. K., Q. Jl exp. Psychol., 26, 114–124 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Sherman, S. M., Brain Res., 49, 25–45 (1973).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  69. Mitchell, D. E., Freeman, R. D., Millodot, M., and Haegerstrom, G., Vision Res., 13, 535–558 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  70. Freeman, R. D., and Pettigrew, J. D., Nature, 246, 359–360 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Richards, W. A., J. opt. Soc. Am., 61, 410–414 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Awaya, S., Miyake, Y., Imaizaki, Y., Shiose, Y., Kanda, T., and Komuno, K., Jap. J. Ophthal., 17, 69–82 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  73. Awaya, Y., Miyake, T., Kanda, T., and Shiose, Y., Folia ophthal. jap., 25, 270–281 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  74. Maffei, L., Fiorentini, A., and Bisti, S., Science 182, 1036–1038 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Movshon, J. A., Chambers, B. E. I., and Blakemore, C., Perception, 1, 483–490 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  76. Mitchell, D. E., and Ware, C., J. Physiol., Lond., 236, 707–721 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  77. Warr, D., and Mitchell, D. E., Vision Res., 14, 731–735 (1974).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  78. Mitchell, D. E., Rearden, J., and Muir, D. W., Expl Brain Res., 22, 163–174 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Hohmann, A., and Creutzfeldt, O. D., Nature, 254, 613–614 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Ganz, L., Hirsch, H. V. B., and Tieman, S. E., Brain Res., 44, 547–568 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Yoon, M. G., J. Physiol., Lond., 246, 673–694 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Hirsch, H. V. B., and Leventhal, A. G., Science (in the press).

  83. Grobstein, P., and Chow, K. L., Science, 190, 352–358 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physiological Laboratory, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK

    H. B. Barlow

Authors
  1. H. B. Barlow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barlow, H. Visual experience and cortical development. Nature 258, 199–204 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258199a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/258199a0

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing