scholarly journals Contrast sensitivity reveals an oculomotor strategy for temporally encoding space

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonino Casile ◽  
Jonathan Victor ◽  
Michele Rucci
Keyword(s):  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Perception And Action ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Sensitivity Function ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Retinal Neurons ◽  
Processing Stage ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Sensory Processes

AbstractThe contrast sensitivity function (CSF), how sensitivity varies with the spatial frequency of the stimulus, is a fundamental assessment of visual performance. The CSF is generally assumed to be determined by low-level sensory processes. However, the sensitivities of neurons in the early visual pathways, as measured in experiments with immobilized eyes, diverge from psychophysical CSF measurements in primates. Under natural viewing conditions, as in typical psychophysical measurements, humans continually move their eyes, drifting in a seemingly erratic manner even when looking at a fixed point. Here, we show that the resulting transformation of the visual scene into a spatiotemporal flow on the retina constitutes a processing stage that reconciles human CSF and the response characteristics of retinal ganglion cells under a broad range of conditions. Our findings suggest a fundamental integration between perception and action: eye movements work synergistically with the sensitivities of retinal neurons to encode spatial information.

scholarly journals Contrast sensitivity reveals an oculomotor strategy for temporally encoding space

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonino Casile ◽  
Jonathan D Victor ◽  
Michele Rucci
Keyword(s):  
Contrast Sensitivity ◽  
Perception And Action ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Retinal Neurons ◽  
Processing Stage ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Sensory Processes

The contrast sensitivity function (CSF), how sensitivity varies with the frequency of the stimulus, is a fundamental assessment of visual performance. The CSF is generally assumed to be determined by low-level sensory processes. However, the spatial sensitivities of neurons in the early visual pathways, as measured in experiments with immobilized eyes, diverge from psychophysical CSF measurements in primates. Under natural viewing conditions, as in typical psychophysical measurements, humans continually move their eyes even when looking at a fixed point. Here, we show that the resulting transformation of the spatial scene into temporal modulations on the retina constitutes a processing stage that reconciles human CSF and the response characteristics of retinal ganglion cells under a broad range of conditions. Our findings suggest a fundamental integration between perception and action: eye movements work synergistically with the spatio-temporal sensitivities of retinal neurons to encode spatial information.

The structural and functional development of the retina in larval Xenopus

Development ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 915-940
Author(s):  
S. H. Chung ◽  
R. Victoria Stirling ◽  
R. M. Gaze
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Plexiform Layer ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Inner Plexiform Layer ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Functional Development ◽  
New Type ◽  
Plexiform Layers

The structural transformations of the larval Xenopus retina at successive stages of development, and concomitant changes in response characteristics of retinal ganglion cells, were studied using histological and electrophysiological techniques. The first sign of visually evoked electrical responses appears at about the time when the ganglion cells spread out into a single layer and shortly after the inner and outer plexiform layers become discernible. Initially giving simple ‘on’ responses, the cells progressively change their response characteristics and become ‘event’ units. Subsequently, ‘dimming’ units can be identified. Throughout larval life, response properties of these two types become more distinct from one another and approximate to those found in the adult. So do the arborization patterns of the dendritic trees of the ganglion cells. Two types of branching patterns are identifiable in Golgi preparations. Around metamorphic climax, a new type of ganglion cell appears, coinciding with the emergence of ‘sustained’ units electrophysiologically. After metamorphosis, the retina still grows both in thickness (mainly in the inner plexiform layer) and diameter. The three unit types change such that they come to show pronounced inhibitory effects from the peripheral visual field on the receptive field and each unit type acquires a distinct pattern of endogenous discharge.

Morphogenesis and physiogenesis of the retino-tectal connection in the chicken. II. the retino-tectal synapses

1976 ◽  
Vol 192 (1108) ◽  
pp. 353-370 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Field Potential ◽  
Preceding Paper ◽  
Early Response ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Surface Mapping ◽  
Response Characteristics ◽  
Morphological Criteria ◽  
Response Burst ◽  
First Time

The preceding paper (Eager 1976) was concerned with the development of retinal ganglion cells and the maturation of photoreceptors. Here we discuss the formation of retino-tectal synapses as studied in terms of both morphology and physiology. The early response characteristics of the first and second postsynaptic tectal cells were also studied. The first retino-tectal synapses, sparse in number, were found with the electron microscope on the eleventh day of incubation. Strict criteria for their identification were employed. At the same stage postsynaptic potentials could be recorded for the first time. These potentials could be recognized as postsynaptic by the application of various techniques: combined ortho- and antidromic stimulation, variation of stimulus intensities, surface mapping, field potential profiles, and application of double shocks of varying intervals. From day twelve onward single unit recordings were also possible and confirmed these results. We were able to establish that morphological criteria for recognition of optic nerve synapses are also criteria for when they start to function. Tectal cells first respond with long-lasting repetitive discharges. Only a few days later the response burst has become shorter and is followed by post-excitatory inhibition. When retino-tectal synapses start to function the excitation is not confined to the superficial tectal cells, but reaches deeper neurons which are possibly tectal output cells. The results of this and the preceding paper (Eager 1976) indicate that the development of the retino-tectal connection in the chicken differs from that in the frog in several fundamental respects.

scholarly journals Architecture of retinal projections to the central circadian pacemaker

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (21) ◽  
pp. 6047-6052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Carlos Fernandez ◽  
Yi-Ting Chang ◽  
Samer Hattar ◽  
Shih-Kuo Chen
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Circadian Pacemaker ◽  
Retinal Neurons ◽  
Retinal Input ◽  
Innervation Patterns ◽  
Left And Right

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) receives direct retinal input from the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) for circadian photoentrainment. Interestingly, the SCN is the only brain region that receives equal inputs from the left and right eyes. Despite morphological assessments showing that axonal fibers originating from ipRGCs cover the entire SCN, physiological evidence suggests that only vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)/gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) cells located ventrally in the SCN receive retinal input. It is still unclear, therefore, which subpopulation of SCN neurons receives synaptic input from the retina and how the SCN receives equal inputs from both eyes. Here, using single ipRGC axonal tracing and a confocal microscopic analysis in mice, we show that ipRGCs have elaborate innervation patterns throughout the entire SCN. Unlike conventional retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that innervate visual targets either ipsilaterally or contralaterally, a single ipRGC can bilaterally innervate the SCN. ipRGCs form synaptic contacts with major peptidergic cells of the SCN, including VIP, GRP, and arginine vasopressin (AVP) neurons, with each ipRGC innervating specific subdomains of the SCN. Furthermore, a single SCN-projecting ipRGC can send collateral inputs to many other brain regions. However, the size and complexity of the axonal arborizations in non-SCN regions are less elaborate than those in the SCN. Our results provide a better understanding of how retinal neurons connect to the central circadian pacemaker to synchronize endogenous circadian clocks with the solar day.

scholarly journals Radial migration: Retinal neurons hold on for the ride

2016 ◽  
Vol 215 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy N. Kay
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Retinal Neurons ◽  
Newborn Neuron ◽  
Radial Migration ◽  
Biological Basis ◽  
Cell Biol

Newborn neuron radial migration is a key force shaping the nervous system. In this issue, Icha et al. (2016. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201604095) use zebrafish retinal ganglion cells as a model to investigate the cell biological basis of radial migration and the consequences for retinal histogenesis when migration is impaired.

scholarly journals Transcriptional logic of cell fate specification and axon guidance in early born retinal neurons revealed by single-cell mRNA profiling

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quentin Lo Giudice ◽  
Marion Leleu ◽  
Pierre J. Fabre
Keyword(s):  
Axon Guidance ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Amacrine Cells ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Cell Fate Specification ◽  
Retinal Neurons ◽  
Fate Specification ◽  
Guidance Cues ◽  
Insight Into

ABSTRACTRetinal ganglion cells (RGC), together with cone photoreceptors, horizontal cells (HC) and amacrine cells (AC), are the first classes of neurons produced in the retina. Here we have profiled 5348 single retinal cells and provided a comprehensive transcriptomic atlas showing the broad diversity of the developing retina at the time when the four early-born cells are being produced. Our results show the transcriptional sequences that establish the hierarchical ordering of early cell fate specification in the retina. RGC maturation follows six waves of gene expression, giving new insight into the regulatory logic of RGC differentiation. Early-generated RGCs transcribe an increasing amount of guidance cues for young peripheral RGC axons that express the matching receptors. Finally, spatial signatures in sub-populations of RGCs allowed to define novel molecular markers that are spatially restricted during the development of the retina. Altogether this study is a valuable resource that identifies new players in mouse retinal development, shedding light on transcription factors sequence and guidance cues dynamics in space and time.

scholarly journals Salamander retinal ganglion cell responses to rich stimuli

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kolia Sadeghi ◽  
Michael J. Berry
Keyword(s):  
Ganglion Cell ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Light Stimulus ◽  
Linear Filter ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Linear Filters ◽  
Cell Responses ◽  
Random Stimulus

AbstractThe retina’s phenomenological function is often considered to be well-understood: individual retinal ganglion cells are sensitive to a projection of the light stimulus movie onto a classical center-surround linear filter. Recent models elaborating on this basic framework by adding a second linear filter or spike histories, have been quite successful at predicting ganglion cell spikes for spatially uniform random stimuli, and for random stimuli varying spatially with low resolution. Fitting models for stimuli with more finely grained spatial variations becomes difficult because of the very high dimensionality of such stimuli. We present a method of reducing the dimensionality of a fine one dimensional random stimulus by using wavelets, allowing for several clean predictive linear filters to be found for each cell. For salamander retinal ganglion cells, we find in addition to the spike triggered average, 3 identifiable types of linear filters which modulate the firing of most cells. While some cells can be modeled fairly accurately, many cells are poorly captured, even with as many as 4 filters. The new linear filters we find shed some light on the nonlinearities in the retina’s integration of temporal and fine spatial information.

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