Albinism Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Albinism, including details on pigmentation, genetic trait, heritability.

Motion perception deficits in albino ferrets (Mustela putorius furo).

Hupfeld D, Distler C, Hoffmann KP

Allgemeine Zoologie & Neurobiologie, Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Universitaetsstr. 150, ND 7/31, 44780 Bochum, Germany.

Albino ferrets contrary to their pigmented conspecifics show no optokinetic nystagmus. Therefore, in this study motion perception was compared between pigmented and albino ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) trained to discriminate between coherently moving random dot patterns and dynamic noise stimuli in a two-alternative forced choice task. Fully coherently versus incoherently moving patterns could be distinguished by ferrets of both phenotypes. Motion coherence thresholds, however, were significantly higher in albinos. These results indicate that albino ferrets are not motion blind as could be expected from their total lack of optokinetic reactions. However, they are severely impaired in global motion perception.

Published 3 July 2006 in Vision Res, 46(18): 2941-8.
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