Changes In C-fos Gene Expression In The Visual Cortex Of Kittens With Strabismic Amblyopia Before And After Treatment

PURPOSE: To study the expression and variation of c-fos mRNA in neurons in the visual cortex of Kittens with Strabismic amblyopia before and after the treatment. METHODS: 15 normal kittens were randomly divided into three groups , Surgery to produce iatrogenic convergent strabismus was performed on 9 kittens at 4 weeks of age and 3 of those were stimulated by ambient light with the non-deviated eye were occluded after 4 weeks; 6 kittens were used for controls. Using the technique of in situ hybridization, we detected the expression of c-fos mRNA of different cats. And PVEP was recorded simultaneously on the 15 kittens throughout experiment. RESULTS: In the 17area of the visual cortex, c-fos mRNA positive neurons were observed reduced at 8 weeks (P < 0.01) but increased after 4-week treatment. The result consists with PRVEP in reflecting the neural activity. CONCLUTIONS: The change of expression of c-fos mRNA in neurons in terms of neural activity before and after treatment verify the molecular biologic basis of electrophysiologic defects as well as morphologic change in the visual cortex. The c-fos gene can serve as molecular biological index in assessing excitingstate of visual cortex.