Abstract
The processing of visual information within the retino-tectal system of amphibians is decomposed into five major operational stages, three of them taking place in the retina and two in the optic tectum. The stages in the retina involve (i) a spatially local high-pass filtering in connection to the perception of moving objects, (ii) separation of the receptor activity into on- and off-channels regarding the distinction of objects moving against light or dark backgrounds, (iii) spatial integration via near excitation and far-reaching inhibition. Variation of the spatial range of excitation and inhibition allows to account for typical activities observed in a variety of classes of retinal ganglion cells. A mathematical description of the operations in the optic tectum include (a) spatial summation of retinal output (mainly of class R2 and class R3 retinal ganglion cells), and (b) lateral inhibition between tectal cells. In the computer simulation, first the output of the mathematical retina model is computed which, then, is used as the input to the tectum model. The full spatiotemporal dynamics is taken into account. The simulations show that different combinations of strength of lateral inhibition on the one side and the response properties of the retinal ganglion cells on the other side determine the response properties of tectal cell types T5.1, T5.2, and T5.3 involved in object recognition.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
An der Heiden U (1980) Analysis of neural networks. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York
An der Heiden U, Roth G (1983) Cooperative neural processes in amphibian visual prey recognition. In: Basar E, Flohr H, Haken H, Mandell AI (eds) Synergetics of the brain. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo
An der Heiden U, Roth G (1987) Mathematical model and simulation of retina and tectum opticum of lower vertebrates. Acta Biotheoretica 36: 179–212
Cervantes-Pérez F, Lara R, Arbib MA (1985) A neural model of interactions subserving prey-predator discrimination and size preference in anuran amphibia. J Theor Biol 113: 117–152
Ewert J-P (1968) Der Einfluß von Zwischenhirndefekten auf die Visuomotorik im Beute- und Fluchtverhalten der Erdkröte (Bufo bufo L) Z Vergl Physiol 61: 41–70
Ewert J-P (1969) Quantitative Analyse von Reiz-Reaktionsbeziehungen bei visuellem Auslösen der Beutefang-Wendereaktion der Erdkröte (Bufo bufo L). PflúgersArch 308: 225–243
Ewert J-P (1974) The neural basis of visually guided behavior. Sci Amer230: 34–42
Ewert J-P (1976) The visual system of the toad: behavioral and physiological studies on a pattern recognition system. In: Fite KV (ed) The amphibian visual system: a multidisciplinary approach. Academic Press, New York San Francisco London, pp 141–202
Ewert J-P (1984) Tectal mechanisms that underlie prey-catching and avoidance behaviors in toads. In: Vanegas H (ed) Comparative neurology of the optic tectum. Plenum Press, New York London, pp 247–416
Ewert J-P (1987) Neuroethology of releasing mechanisms: prey-catching in toads. Behav Brain Sci 10: 337–405
Ewert J-P, Hock FJ (1972) Movement sensitive neurons in the toad’s retina. Exp Brain Res 16: 41–59
Ewert J-P, Seelen W v (1974) Neurobiologie und Systemtheorie eines visuellen Muster-Erkennungsmechanismus bei Kröten. Kybernetik 14: 167–183
Ewert J-P, Wietersheim A v (1974a) Musterauswertung durch Tectum- und Thalamus/PraetectumNeurone im visuellen System der Kröte (Bufo bufo L). J Comp Physiol 92: 131–148
Ewert J-P, Wietersheim A v (1974b) Der Einfluß von Thalamus/Praetectum-Defekten auf die Antwort von Tectum-Neuronen gegenüber bewegten visuellen Mustern bei der Kröte (Bufo bufo L). J Comp Physiol 92: 149–160
Ewert J-P, Borchers H-W, Wietersheim A v (1978) Question of prey feature detectors in the toad’s Bufo bufo (L) visual system: a correlation analysis. J Comp Physiol 126: 43–47
Ewert J-P, Burghagen H, Schürg-Pfeiffer E (1983) Neuroethological analysis of the innate releasing mechanism for prey-catching in toads. In: Ewert J-P, Capranica RR, Ingle DJ (eds) Advances in vertebrate neuroethology. Plenum Press, New York London, pp 413–475
Finkenstädt T, Ewert J-P (1983a) Processing of area dimensions of visual key stimuli by tectal neurons in Salamandra salamandra. J Comp Physiol 153: 85–98
Finkenstädt T, Ewert J-P (1983b) Visual pattern discrimination through interactions of neural networks: a combined electrical brain stimulation, brain lesion, and extracellular recording study in Salamandra salamandra. J Comp Physiol 153: 99–110
Grasser O-J, Finkelstein D (1967) Analyse eines auf “Bewegungswahrnehmung” spezialisierten Neuronensystems in der Froschnetzhaut. In: Kroebel W (ed) Fortschritte der Kybernetik Oldenbourg-Verlag, München, pp 833–96
Grasser O-J, Grösser-Cornehls U (1968) Neurophysiologische Grundlagen visueller angeborener Auslösemechanismen beim Frosch. Z Vergl Physiol 59: 1–24
Grasser O-J, Grasser-Cornehls U (1970) Die Neurophysiologie visuell gesteuerter Verhaltensweisen bei Anuren. Verh Dtsch Zoo! Ges 64: 201–218
Grasser O-J, Grasser-Cornehls U (1976) Neurophysiology of the anuran visual system. In: Llinas R, Precht W (eds) Frog neurobiology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 297–385
Grüsser O-J, Grasser-Cornehls U, Licker MD (1968) Further studies on the velocity function of movement-detecting class-2 neurons in the frog retina. Vision Res 8: 1173–1185
Grüsser-Cornehls U (1984) The neurophysiology of the amphibian optic tectum. In: Vanegas H (ed) Comparative neurology of the optic tectum. Plenum Press, New York London, pp 211–245
Grasser-Cornehls U, Himstedt W (1973) Responses of retinal and tectal neurons of the salamander (Salamandra salamandra L.) to moving visual stimuli. Brain Behav Evol 7: 145–168
Grasser-Cornehls U, Himstedt W (1976) The urodele visual system. In: Fite KV (ed) The amphibian visual system: a multidisciplinary approach. Academic Press, London New York, pp 203–266
Herrick CJ (1948) The brain of the tiger salamanderAmbystoma tigrinum. Univ Chicago Press
Himstedt W, Roth G (1980) Neuronal responses in the tectum opticum of Salamandra to visual prey stimuli. J Comp Physio 1135: 251–257
Ingle DJ (1973) Two visual systems in the frog. Science 181: 1053–1055
Ingle DJ (1980) Some effects of pretectum lesions on the frog’s detection of stationary objects. Behav Brain Res 1: 139–163
Ingle DJ (1983) Brain mechanisms of visual localization by frogs and toads. In: Ewert J-P, Capranica RR, Ingle DJ (eds) Advances in vertebrate neuroethology. Plenum Press, New York London, pp 177–226
Lara R, Arbib MA (1985) A model of the neural mechanisms responsible for pattern recognition and stimulus specific habituation in toads. Bio! Cybem 51: 223–237
Lara R, Cervantes F, Arbib M (1982) Two-dimensional model of retinal-tectal-pretectal interactions for the control of prey-predator recognition and size preference in amphibia. In: Amari S, Arbib MA (eds) Competition and cooperation in neural nets. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 371–393
Levine MW, Shefner IM (1977) Variability in ganglion cell firing patterns: implications for separate “on” and “off’ processes. Vision Res 17: 765–776
Manteuffel G (1985) Monocular and binocular optic inputs to salamander pretectal neurons: an intracellular recording and HRP-labelling study. Brain BehavEvol 27: 1–10
Pfeiffer E (1975) Musterauswertung durch retinale Ganglienzellen beim Frosch (Rana esculenta L). Diploma Thesis, Tech Univ Darmstadt
Roth G (1978) The role of stimulus movement patterns in the prey catching behavior of Hydromantes genei (Amphibia, Plethodontidae). J Comp Physiol 123: 261–2M
Roth G (1982a) Responses in the optic tectum of the salamander Hydromantes italicus to moving prey stimuli. Erp Brain Res 45: 386–392
Roth G (1982b) Beuteerkennungsmechanismen im Tectum opticum von Amphibien–eine vergleichende Untersuchung. Funkt Bio! Med 1: 90–98
Roth G (1986) Neural mechanisms of prey recognition: an example in amphibians. In: Feder ME, Lauder GV (eds) Predator-prey relationships. Univ Chicago Press, Chicago London, pp 42–68
Roth G (1987) Visual behavior in salamanders. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York Tokyo
Roth G, Jordan M (1982) Response characteristics and stratification of tectal neurons in the toad Bufo bufo (L). Exp Brain Res 45: 393–398
Schürg-Pfeiffer E, Ewert J-P (1981) Investigations of neurons involved in the analysis of gestalt prey features in the frog Rana temporaria. J Comp Physiol 141: 139–152
Székely G, Lazar G (1976) Cellular and synaptic architeture of the optic tectum. In: Llinds R, Precht W (eds) Frog neurobiology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 407–434
Tsai H-J, Ewert J-P (1987) Edge preference of retinal and tectal neurons in common toads (Bufo bufo) in response to worm-like moving stripes: the question of behaviorally relevant “position indicators.” J Comp Physiol 161: 295–304
Varjú D (1978) Excitation and inhibitory processes giving rise to the delayed response in the retinal ganglion cell of the frog. In: Heim R, Palm G (eds) Theoretical approaches to complex systems. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1989 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
an der Heiden, U., Roth, G. (1989). Retina and Optic Tectum in Amphibians: A Mathematical Model and Simulation Studies. In: Ewert, JP., Arbib, M.A. (eds) Visuomotor Coordination. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0897-1_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0897-1_7
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-0899-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-0897-1
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive