Abstract
Microelectrode studies of single cells in the monkey’s visual pathway have revealed that visual information is processed by opponent mechanisms. In the case of luminance contrast, individual neurons receive signals from two sets of identical receptors, one group occupying a circular area and the other surrounding it in an annular fashion. Because of the specific excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections, illuminating the center of the cell’s receptive field either increases or decreases its firing rate while stimulating the surround has the opposite effect. Illumination of the entire receptive field leads to mutual antagonism and thus this opponent spatial organization discriminates against diffuse light in favor of contrast.
Supported by National Eye Institute Grant EY 00568.
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© 1985 The Wenner-Gren Center
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Michael, C.R. (1985). Non-oriented Double Opponent Colour Cells are Concentrated in Two Subdivisions of Cortical Layer IV. In: Ottoson, D., Zeki, S. (eds) Central and Peripheral Mechanisms of Colour Vision. Wenner-Gren Center International Symposium Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08020-5_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-08020-5_13
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