QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, April 4, 2007, 27(14):3904-3909; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5343-06.2007

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (6) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tailby, C. Articles by Lennie, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tailby, C. Articles by Lennie, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Brief Communications
A New Code for Contrast in the Primate Visual Pathway

Chris Tailby,¹ Samuel G. Solomon,² Neel T. Dhruv,¹ Najib J. Majaj,¹ Sach H. Sokol,¹ and Peter Lennie¹

¹Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, and ²Bosch Institute and School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia

Correspondence should be addressed to Chris Tailby at the above address. Email: ctailby{at}unimelb.edu.au

We characterize a hitherto undocumented type of neuron present in the regions bordering the principal layers of the macaque lateral geniculate nucleus. Neurons of this type were distinguished by a high and unusually regular maintained discharge that was suppressed by spatiotemporal modulation of luminance or chromaticity within the receptive field. The response to any effective stimulus was a reduction in discharge, reminiscent of the "suppressed-by-contrast" cells of the cat retina. To a counterphase-modulated grating, the response was a phase-insensitive suppression modulated at twice the stimulus frequency, implying a receptive field comprised of multiple mechanisms that generate rectifying responses. This distinctive nonlinearity makes the neurons well suited to computing a measure of contrast energy; such a signal might be important in regulating sensitivity early in visual cortex.

Key words: vision; macaque; lateral geniculate; LGN; retina; receptive field; nonlinear

---

Received Dec. 11, 2006; revised March 13, 2007; accepted March 14, 2007.

Correspondence should be addressed to Chris Tailby at the above address. Email: ctailby{at}unimelb.edu.au

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. T. Dhruv, C. Tailby, S. H. Sokol, N. J. Majaj, and P. Lennie Nonlinear Signal Summation in Magnocellular Neurons of the Macaque Lateral Geniculate Nucleus J Neurophysiol, September 1, 2009; 102(3): 1921 - 1929. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. Crook, B. B. Peterson, O. S. Packer, F. R. Robinson, P. D. Gamlin, J. B. Troy, and D. M. Dacey The Smooth Monostratified Ganglion Cell: Evidence for Spatial Diversity in the Y-Cell Pathway to the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus and Superior Colliculus in the Macaque Monkey J. Neurosci., November 26, 2008; 28(48): 12654 - 12671. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Tailby, S. G. Solomon, and P. Lennie Functional Asymmetries in Visual Pathways Carrying S-Cone Signals in Macaque J. Neurosci., April 9, 2008; 28(15): 4078 - 4087. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help