Previously, we have reported two novel forms of visuomotor plasticity in rodents that depend on visual cortex: A critical period for experience-dependent enhancement of motion vision that commences at eye opening (Silver, et al, SFN, 2004), and an enhancement of optomotor sensitivity through the non-deprived eye (Douglas et al, SFN, 2004) in mice, induced with adult monocular deprivation (MD). In order to determine whether mice have a critical period for motion vision analogous to that in rats, we commenced daily testing of optomotor sensitivity at eye opening. Surprisingly, this visual experience, which leads to permanently enhanced vision in rats, did not affect mouse vision. In order to test the hypothesis that rats are deprived of effective visuomotor experience in their normal laboratory-based rearing environment, but mice are not, we reduced visuomotor experience in mice with binocular deprivation for 10 days after eye opening. This treatment permanently reduced optomotor sensitivity, suggesting that...