1981 - ½ prize, jointly to David H. Hubel, Torsten N. Wiesel

Hubel and Wiesel broke the code by which brain cells decode messages received from the eyes. They showed that retinal information progresses sequentially from one neuron to another, with every neuron responsible for one particular feature in the picture pattern, such as contrast, linear patterns and movement of the picture over the retina. The first cortical cells receiving retinal input are organized in functional columns. They also found that the ability of the cortical cells to interpret the retinal code develops directly after birth. A prerequisite for this development is that the eye is exposed to visual input. Otherwise, if during this period one eye is sutured, vision can be permanently impaired. This reveals the high degree of brain plasticity immediately after birth.