Binocular interactions in the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. I. Spatial-frequency analysis of responses of X, Y, and W cells to nondominant-eye stimulation

1989 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 526-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Guido ◽  
N. Tumosa ◽  
P. D. Spear
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Low Pass ◽  
Band Pass ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

1. X, Y, and W cells in the A and C layers of the cat's dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) were tested for responses to stimulation of the nondominant eye. The main purpose was to determine the incidence of nondominant-eye excitation and inhibition among different classes of cells and to examine the spatial-frequency tuning of responses to the nondominant eye. 2. Of 198 cells that were tested with drifting sine-wave gratings presented to the nondominant eye, 109 (55%) showed statistically significant responses. Four types of responses were observed: an increase in the mean discharge rate (F0 excitation), a decrease in the mean discharge rate (F0 inhibition), an increased modulation at the fundamental frequency of the grating (F1 excitation), and a decreased modulation at the fundamental frequency of the grating (F1 inhibition). Overall, 29% of the cells responded with inhibition, 24% responded with excitation, and 2% showed both excitation and inhibition, depending upon the spatial frequency and/or the harmonic response component. The relative incidence of excitation and inhibition was similar for X, Y, and W cells, for cells with on-center and off-center receptive fields, for cells with different receptive-field eccentricities, and for cells in each LGN layer. In addition, within layers A and A1, responses were similar for cells at different distances from the laminar borders. 3. Spatial-frequency response functions indicated that cells could have band-pass or low-pass spatial-frequency tuning through the nondominant eye. Band-pass cells tended to be narrowly tuned (less than or equal to 1 octave), and low-pass cells responded to a broader range of spatial frequencies. These properties were similar for X, Y, and W cells. Spatial resolution tended to be low (less than or equal to 0.8 c/deg for most cells), although a few cells responded to the highest spatial frequency tested (5.4 c/deg). Likewise, optimal spatial frequency was low (less than or equal to 0.2 c/deg) for most cells. These properties were similar for X and Y cells, and there was a weak tendency for X and Y cells to have higher optimal spatial frequencies and spatial resolutions than W cells. 4. In terms of absolute change in activity, responses to drifting gratings were weak. However, cells that were inhibited generally showed 20-60% decreases in activity to the optimal spatial frequency, and cells that were excited generally showed 40-100% increases. Response amplitudes were similar for X, Y, and W cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The effects of a luminanace-modulated background on the grating-evoked cortical potential in the cat

1989 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 563-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Baro ◽  
Stephen Lehmkuhle
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Stimulus Onset ◽  
Peak Latency ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Stimulus Offset ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate ◽  
Onset Response

AbstractAveraged grating-evoked cortical potentials were recorded from area 17 of awake cats. Peak latency of early components of the visual-evoked potential (VEP) response to stimulus onset increased as a function of spatial frequency, while amplitude tended to be largest at intermediate spatial frequencies. Latency increased and amplitude generally decreased to lower spatial-frequency stimuli (<0.25 cycle/deg) in the presence of a uniform flickering field (UFF). The UFF had a relatively small or opposite effect on peak latency and amplitude for higher spatial-frequency stimuli (>0.50 cycle/deg). The VEP response to stimulus offset was present only at low spatial frequencies and was virtually eliminated by the presence of the UFF. The effects were similar whether the target and UFF background were simultaneously presented or briefly separated; however, the UFF had no effect when the two were spatially separated. The effects of the UFF background on VEP onset response increased with increasing temporal frequency from 2–8 Hz; offset responses were affected similarly at all temporal frequencies. These effects are similar to those observed in humans and suggest that two spatio-temporally tuned mechanisms contribute to the early VEP response. In the cat, the mechanisms seem to correspond to X and Y cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus.

Temporal and Spatial Frequency Tuning of the Flicker Motion Aftereffect

Perception ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 12-12
Author(s):  
P J Bex ◽  
F A J Verstraten ◽  
I Mareschal
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Motion Aftereffect ◽  
Sine Wave ◽  
Test Grating ◽  
Spatial Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Low Pass ◽  
Sine Wave Gratings

The motion aftereffect (MAE) was used to study the temporal-frequency and spatial-frequency selectivity of the visual system at suprathreshold contrasts. Observers adapted to drifting sine-wave gratings of a range of spatial and temporal frequencies. The magnitude of the MAE induced by the adaptation was measured with counterphasing test gratings of a variety of spatial and temporal frequencies. Independently of the spatial or temporal frequency of the adapting grating, the largest MAE was found with slowly counterphasing test gratings (∼0.125 – 0.25 Hz). For slowly counterphasing test gratings (<∼2 Hz), the largest MAEs were found when the test grating was of similar spatial frequency to that of the adapting grating, even at very low spatial frequencies (0.125 cycle deg−1). However, such narrow spatial frequency tuning was lost when the temporal frequency of the test grating was increased. The data suggest that MAEs are dominated by a single, low-pass temporal-frequency mechanism and by a series of band-pass spatial-frequency mechanisms at low temporal frequencies. At higher test temporal frequencies, the loss of spatial-frequency tuning implicates separate mechanisms with broader spatial frequency tuning.

Monocular and binocular response properties of cells in the striate-recipient zone of the cat's lateral posterior-pulvinar complex

1989 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 544-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Casanova ◽  
R. D. Freeman ◽  
J. P. Nordmann
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Orientation Tuning ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Response Properties ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Lateral Posterior ◽  
The Mean

1. We have studied response properties of single cells in the striate-recipient zone of the cat's lateral posterior-pulvinar (LP-P) complex. This zone is in the lateral section of the lateral posterior nucleus (LP1). Our purpose was to determine basic response characteristics of these cells and to investigate the possibility that the LP-P complex is a center of integration that is dominated by input from visual cortex. 2. The majority (72%) of cells in the striate-recipient zone respond to drifting sinusoidal gratings with unmodulated discharge. 3. Cells in the LP1 are selective to the orientation of gratings, and tuning functions have a mean bandwidth of 31 degrees. More than one-half of these units are direction-selective. The preferred orientation and the tuning widths for the two eyes are generally well matched. However, a few cells exhibited the interesting property of opposite preferred directions for the two eyes. Orientation tuning for a small group of cells was different for the mean discharge and first harmonic components, suggesting a convergence from different inputs to these cells. 4. Two-thirds of LP1 cells are tuned to low spatial frequencies (less than 0.5 c/deg). The tuning is broad with a mean bandwidth of 2.2 octaves. The remaining one-third of the units are low-pass because they show no attenuation of their responses to low spatial frequencies. Both eyes exhibit the same spatial frequency preference and the same spatial frequency tuning. There is a high correlation between spatial frequency and orientation selectivities. 5. All cells tested are tuned for temporal frequency with a sharp attenuation for low frequencies. The optimal values range between 4 and 8 Hz, and the mean bandwidth is 2.2 octaves. 6. Cells in LP1 are mostly binocular. When monocular, cells are almost always contralaterally driven. Dichoptic presentation of gratings reveals the presence of strong binocular interaction. In almost all cases, these interactions are phase specific. The cell's discharge is facilitated at particular phases and inhibited at phases 180 degrees away. These binocular interactions are orientation dependent. 7. Twenty-five percent of the cells with phase-specific binocular facilitation appear to be monocular when each eye is tested separately. For three cells, we observed a non-phase-specific inhibitory effect of the silent eye. 8. Our findings indicate that LP1 cells form a relatively homogeneous group, suggesting a high degree of integration of multiple cortical inputs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

On the variety of spatial frequency selectivities shown by neurons in area 17 of the cat

1981 ◽  
Vol 213 (1191) ◽  
pp. 183-199 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Summation ◽  
Orientation Tuning ◽  
Area 17 ◽  
Tuning Curves ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Functional Classes ◽  
Y Cells

The amplitudes of the responses of over 300 neurons in area 17 of the cat were examined as a function of the spatial frequency of moving sinusoidal gratings. The optimal spatial frequency and the bandwidth of the tuning curves were determined. The bandwidth varied considerably from neuron to neuron. Neurons optimally responsive to high spatial frequencies tended to have narrower tuning curves than those responsive to lower frequencies. Neurons with narrow spatial frequency tuning curves also tended to have narrow orientation tuning curves. These observations suggest that linear spatial summation tends to occur over a relatively constant area of visual field despite marked differences in each neuron’s optimal spatial frequency, a prediction of one model of visual analysis. There was little difference in either the optimal spatial frequencies or the bandwidths of tuning for different functional classes of neuron. Neurons with broad tuning curves tended to be restricted to lamina IV and its environs, being concentrated in the deep part of lamina II–III and the upper part of lamina IV ab. Neurons with very low optimal spatial frequencies were uncommon and tended to be found either at the border of laminae II–III and IV or in lamina V. These laminar distributions are discussed with respect to the laminar differences in the projection of l. g. n. X- and Y- cells to the visual cortex.

The action of the putative neurotransmitters N-acetylaspartylglutamate and L-homocysteate in cat dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus

1992 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 663-672 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. E. Jones ◽  
A. M. Sillito
Keyword(s):  
Nmda Receptor ◽  
Visual Stimulation ◽  
Nmda Antagonist ◽  
Nmda Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Visual Response ◽  
The Mean ◽  
X Cells ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

1. We have examined the actions and pharmacology of two putative optic nerve transmitters, N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) and L-homocysteic acid (L-HCA), in the feline dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN). We compared the responses obtained to iontophoretic application of these substances with those elicited by visual stimulation and application of specific N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptor agonists. The relative effects of the selective NMDA antagonist 3-[(+/-)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl]-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) and the selective non-NMDA antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) were tested on these responses. 2. There was a pronounced contrast between the influence of iontophoretically applied NAAG and L-HCA on dLGN cells. Iontophoretic application of NAAG [ejection current range 75–200 nA (mean 125 nA)] evoked either no effect (17/37), or very weak and sluggish excitatory (16/37) or inhibitory (4/37) effects. Conversely, L-HCA application [current range 25–136 nA (mean 67 nA)] elicited brisk and powerful excitatory responses (32/32) that were comparable with those produced by visual stimulation and iontophoresis of NMDA, kainate, and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA). 3. Responses to L-HCA were selectively antagonized by application of the NMDA receptor antagonist CPP but were generally much less affected by the non-NMDA receptor antagonist CNQX. The weak and inconsistent responses to NAAG were not compatible with an evaluation of antagonist effects. 4. CPP application at dose levels selective for NMDA with respect to kainate and AMPA did not exert equal effects on L-HCA and NMDA. Whereas the mean responses to L-HCA were reduced to 32% of control for Y cells and 21% for X cells, those to NMDA were 11 and 11%, respectively. However, the level of reduction of the visual response for X and Y cells was very similar to that of L-HCA, visual responses being reduced to 35 and 22% of control for Y and X cells. 5. CNQX application reduced the visual response level of Y cells to 64% of control and that of X cells to 65%. The mean level for the L-HCA response of Y cells was 106% of control; the mean for X cells, 79%, was substantially below control. The responses to kainate and AMPA were reduced to a much greater extent. 6. The data suggest that it is unlikely that NAAG is the optic nerve transmitter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Response variability of X- and Y-cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat

1988 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Sestokas ◽  
S. Lehmkuhle
Keyword(s):  
Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus ◽  
Sinusoidal Grating ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Lateral Geniculate ◽  
X And Y Cells ◽  
Standard Deviations ◽  
Y Cells ◽  
Dorsal Lateral Geniculate

1. We measured the variability of neural responses in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) of the anesthetized, paralyzed cat during repeated visual stimulation with sinusoidal grating patterns. Results are reported for 11 X-cells and 16 Y-cells recorded in laminae A and A1. 2. The responses of most X- and Y-cells varied markedly from trial to trial. The standard deviations of prestimulus, base-line discharge rate. In contrast, the standard deviations of poststimulus responses increased only slightly or not at all with increases in mean discharge rate. 3. Standard deviations of poststimulus responses to optimal stimuli were about one-third the size of mean discharge rates. Relative variability (standard deviation/mean) increased markedly and in nonlinear fashion with decreases in response amplitude, which resulted in considerable overlap of base-line and poststimulus response distributions when stimuli were less than optimal.

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.

Spatial-frequency and orientation tuning in psychophysical end-stopping

1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 585-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
CONG YU ◽  
DENNIS M. LEVI
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Frequency ◽  
Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Filter ◽  
Orientation Tuning ◽  
Maximal Strength ◽  
Facilitation Effect ◽  
Spatial Filters ◽  
Spatial Frequency Tuning ◽  
Spatial Frequencies ◽  
Wide Range

A psychophysical analog to cortical receptive-field end-stopping has been demonstrated previously in spatial filters tuned to a wide range of spatial frequencies (Yu & Levi, 1997a). The current study investigated tuning characteristics in psychophysical spatial filter end-stopping. When a D6 (the sixth derivative of a Gaussian) target is masked by a center mask (placed in the putative spatial filter center), two end-zone masks (placed in the filter end-zones) reduce thresholds. This “end-stopping” effect (the reduction of masking induced by end-zone masks) was measured at various spatial frequencies and orientations of end-zone masks. End-stopping reached its maximal strength when the spatial frequency and/or orientation of the end-zone masks matched the spatial frequency and/or orientation of the target and center mask, showing spatial-frequency tuning and orientation tuning. The bandwidths of spatial-frequency and orientation tuning functions decreased with increasing target spatial frequency. At larger orientation differences, however, end-zone masks induced a secondary facilitation effect, which was maximal when the spatial frequency of end-zone masks equated the target spatial frequency. This facilitation effect might be related to certain types of contour and texture perception, such as perceptual pop-out.

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