geniculate+nucleus

Organized into 6 layers - each receives input from only one eye. If for any reason visual input was lost from one eye during early development, those cells innervated by the normal eye apparently grow axonal collaterals which innervate and perhaps functionally suppress the neurons in the adjoining layers which are being denied visual input. These deprived cells, in turn, grow smaller and atrophy. However, if the normal eye is removed, or if the deprived eye is opened and given forced experience, some of these cells will recover, and so will some aspects of visual functioning; which indicates that some degree of perceptual processing is occurring within the lateral geniculate nucleus Specifically, the LGN appears to engage in the preprocessing of color (processed by "P" cells), and contrast (processed by "K" cells"). Moreover, these cells are segregated and project to specific sublayers of the visual cortex; i.e. layer IVa,b,c.