Contrast-Dependent Spatial Summation in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus and Retina of the Cat

2004 ◽  
Vol 92 (3) ◽  
pp. 1708-1717 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Nolt ◽  
R. D. Kumbhani ◽  
L. A. Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Spatial Summation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Difference Of Gaussians ◽  
Lateral Geniculate

Based on extracellular recordings from 69 lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) cells in the anesthetized cat, we found spatial summation within their receptive fields to be dependent on the contrast of the stimuli presented. By fitting the summation curves to a difference of Gaussians model, we attributed this contrast-dependent effect to an actual change in the size of the center mechanism. Analogous changes in spatial frequency tuning were also observed, specifically increased peaks and cut-off frequencies with contrast. These effects were seen across the populations of both X and Y cell types. In a few cases, LGN cells were recorded simultaneously with one of their retinal ganglion cell (RGC) inputs (S-potentials). In every case, the RGCs exhibited similar contrast-dependent effects in the space and spatial-frequency domains. We propose that this contrast dependency in the retinal ganglion cells results directly from a reduction in the size of the center mechanism due to an increase in contrast. We also propose that these properties first arise in the retina and are transmitted passively through the LGN to visual cortex.

Relationship between numbers of retinal ganglion cells and lateral geniculate neurons in the rhesus monkey

1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D. Spear ◽  
Charlene B. Y. Kim ◽  
Aneeq Ahmad ◽  
Bryony W. Tom
Keyword(s):  
Rhesus Monkey ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Average Ratio ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Unbiased Estimates

AbstractStudies of the numbers of retinal ganglion cells and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) neurons in primates suggest that the numbers of both types of neurons may vary over a two-fold range from one individual to another. This raises the question of whether the numbers of ganglion cells and LGN neurons are related or vary independently from individual to individual. We used stereological procedures to obtain unbiased estimates of the numbers of both cell types in seven rhesus monkeys. We found no significant correlation (rs. = −0.21) between the numbers of retinal and LGN cells in the same animals. In agreement with previous studies, the average ratio of the number of retinal ganglion cells that project to the LGN and the number of LGN cells was approximately 1:1. However, this ratio varied over a two-fold range, from 0.78:1 to 1.64:1, in individual animals. These results have important implications for understanding the mechanisms of retino-geniculate development and for understanding the connectional wiring between the retina and LGN.

Linear mechanism of orientation tuning in the retina and lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat

1987 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Soodak ◽  
R. M. Shapley ◽  
E. Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Quantitative Model ◽  
Orientation Tuning ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Neural Interactions

1. The orientation tuning of lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) neurons and retinal ganglion cells (recorded as S potentials in the LGN) was investigated with drifting grating stimuli. 2. Results were compared with a quantitative model, in which receptive fields were constructed from linear, elliptical Gaussian center and surround subunits, and responses could be predicted to gratings of any spatial frequency at any orientation. 3. The orientation tuning of X and Y retinal ganglion cells and LGN neurons was shown to result from the linear mechanism of receptive-field elongation, as data from these cells could be well fit with this model. 4. The responses of LGN neurons and their input retinal ganglion cells were compared. The orientation tuning of LGN neurons was found to be a reflection of the tuning of their retinal inputs, showing that neither intrageniculate neural interactions nor the corticogeniculate projection play any role in LGN orientation selectivity.

Quantitative Characterization of Visual Response Properties in the Mouse Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus

2003 ◽  
Vol 90 (6) ◽  
pp. 3594-3607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Grubb ◽  
Ian D. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Summation ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Response ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Spatial Frequency Tuning ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

We present a quantitative analysis of the visual response properties of single neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of wild-type C57Bl/6J mice. Extracellular recordings were made from single dLGN cells in mice under halothane and nitrous oxide anesthesia. After mapping the receptive fields (RFs) of these cells using reverse correlation of responses to flashed square stimuli, we used sinusoidal gratings to describe their linearity of spatial summation, spatial frequency tuning, temporal frequency tuning, and contrast response characteristics. All cells in our sample had RFs dominated by a single, roughly circular “center” mechanism that responded to either increases (on-center) or decreases (off-center) in stimulus luminance, and almost all cells passed a modified null test for linearity of spatial summation. A difference of Gaussians model was used to relate spatial frequency tuning to the spatial properties of cells' RFs, revealing that mouse dLGN cells have large RFs (center diameter approximately 11°) and correspondingly poor spatial resolution (approximately 0.2c/°). Temporally, most cells in the mouse dLGN respond best to stimuli of approximately 4 Hz. We looked for evidence of parallel processing in the mouse dLGN and found it only in a functional difference between on- and off-center cells: on-center cells were more sensitive to stimulus contrast than their off-center neighbors.

Role of intrathalamic inhibition on the spatial frequency tuning of neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat

2009 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. S106
Author(s):  
Akihiro Kimura ◽  
Satoshi Shimegi ◽  
Shin-ichiro Hara ◽  
Masahiro Okamoto ◽  
Hiromichi Sato
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Frequency Tuning ◽  
Lateral Geniculate

Mathematical models for the spatial receptive-field organization of nonlagged X-cells in dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of cat

2000 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 871-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.T. EINEVOLL ◽  
P. HEGGELUND
Keyword(s):  
Receptive Field ◽  
Ganglion Cell ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Discrete Model ◽  
Receptive Fields ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

Spatial receptive fields of relay cells in dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) have commonly been modeled as a difference of two Gaussian functions. We present alternative models for dLGN cells which take known physiological couplings between retina and dLGN and within dLGN into account. The models include excitatory input from a single retinal ganglion cell and feedforward inhibition via intrageniculate interneurons. Mathematical formulas describing the receptive field and response to circular spot stimuli are found both for models with a finite and an infinite number of ganglion-cell inputs to dLGN neurons. The advantage of these models compared to the common difference-of-Gaussians model is that they, in addition to providing mathematical descriptions of the receptive fields of dLGN neurons, also make explicit contributions from the geniculate circuit. Moreover, the model parameters have direct physiological relevance and can be manipulated and measured experimentally. The discrete model is applied to recently published data (Ruksenas et al., 2000) on response versus spot-diameter curves for dLGN cells and for the retinal input to the cell (S-potentials). The models are found to account well for the results for the X-cells in these experiments. Moreover, predictions from the discrete model regarding receptive-field sizes of interneurons, the amount of center-surround antagonism for interneurons compared to relay cells, and distance between neighboring retinal ganglion cells providing input to interneurons, are all compatible with data available in the literature.

Chemically specific retinal ganglion cells collaterlize to the Pars ventralis of the lateral geniculate nucleus and optic tectum in the pigeon (Columba livia)

1989 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 477-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz R. G. Britto ◽  
Kent T. Keyser ◽  
Dania E. Hamassaki ◽  
Toru Shimizu ◽  
Harvey J. Karten
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Ganglion Cells ◽  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Optic Tectum ◽  
Ganglion Cells ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Retinal Ganglion ◽  
Fluorescent Tracers ◽  
Retinal Axons ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Tracing Techniques

AbstractImmunohistochemical and retrograde tracing techniques were combined to study the retinal ganglion cells which project to the pars ventralis of the lateral geniculate nucleus (GLv) in the pigeon. Using two different fluorescent tracers, two histochemically-distinct populations of ganglion cells were found to project to both the GLv and the optic tectum. The first population of ganglion cells exhibited tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity and represented about 20% of all ganglion cells which were retrogradely labeled from the GLv. The second population of ganglion cells showed substance P-like immunoreactivity and represented about 13% of all ganglion cells projecting to the GLv. These results confirm earlier suggestions that the retinal axons projecting to the GLv also project elsewhere and demonstrate that heterogeneity of retinal ganglion cells transmitters is evident even within a single retino-recipient nucleus such as the GLv.

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