A comparison of the effects of inferotemporal and striate cortex lesions on the visual behaviour of rhesus monkeys

The effects of bilateral removal of inferotemporal cortex or lateral striate cortex are compared. The former operation impairs visual pattern discrimination learning, without disturbing prompt detection and retrieval of food, visual acuity or visual fields. In contrast, animals in which the macular striate projection area has been removed are significantly superior in tests of visual pattern discrimination learning despite showing impairment of visually guided reaching, visual acuity, and visual fields. The results indicate that the inferotemporal defect is not caused by deficient visual sensitivity or acuity.