Final answer:
Hubel and Wiesel used single-cell recording in their research on the visual system to discover how specific neurons in the brain respond to visual stimuli, establishing the concept of ocular dominance.
Step-by-step explanation:
In their seminal research on the visual system, David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel used the technique of single-cell recording. This method involves inserting tiny electrodes into the brain to monitor the activities of individual neurons. Through this technique, they made groundbreaking discoveries including the identification of certain brain cells that respond exclusively to lines with specific orientations in the visual cortex, a concept known as ocular dominance.
They meticulously mapped these cells within the visual cortex, outlining the organization into columns and hypercolumns. While other techniques like fMRI are useful for observing brain activity patterns and changes over time, Hubel and Wiesel's research is distinctly noted for its use of single-cell recording, which provided precise insights at the level of individual neurons.