Transection of the neonatal cat corpus callosum and electrophysical recordings
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Abstract
Six feline neonates received transections of the corpus callossum. A modified, stereotoxic instrument was used, in the development of a technique for the standardization of lesions produced by commissurotomy while minimizing surgical trauma, A method of implanting permanent electrodes and cannulae in the developing kitten was tested on two neonates twelve weeks in age. The electrodes featured vertical adjustment capabilities. This design counteracts the effects of skull growth on electrode placement. The electrode system allows normal cranial development without disruptive pressure from the chronically implanted recording apparatus. Histologies performed on five of the split-brain kittens demonstrated the reliability of the technique in producing uniform callosal sections. The chronically implanted dural electrodes and connectors produced satisfactory recordings. This system is expected to be applicable for longitudnal research projects. The techniques developed in this experiment will contribute substantially to the study of neural plasticity and developmental electrophysiology.