Temporal and spatial response characteristics of the cat superior colliculus

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(81)90680-6

Brain Research

Volume 207, Issue 1, 23 February 1981, Pages 73-94

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(81)90680-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

We have examined the responses of 72 cells of the cat superior colliculus to drifting gratings of sinusoidal luminance profile as a function of spatial frequency, velocity and contrast. Of 72 cells, 66 responded to gratings either by change in mean firing rate only (58/72) or in a temporallly modulated pattern in addition to the change in mean firing rate (8/72). The remaining 6 showed in discharge rate in response to any of the gratings tested. Many cells (24/72) were inhibited or excited by particular combinations of spatial and temporal frequencies. Some (8/72) demonstrated selective inhibition or excitation to a particular temporal frequency independent of spatial frequency and velocity and could therefore be said to be tuned specifically to temporal frequency. No cells were tuned only to a constant spatial frequency or a constant velocity. (24/72) cells displayed maximum inhibition or excitation only at a particular combination of spatial and temporal frequencies. Some cells (8/72) demonstrated a temporal modulation synchronous with the drifting grating in addition to an elevated mean discharge rate. The change in discharge rates evoked by gratings are generally less than those evoked by presentation of moving small slits or spots of light. Collicular cells often demonstrate a center-sorround organization in their response to gratings. The center and sorround often differ in their spatial frequency and velocity preferences. Compared to cortical and retinal ganglion cells, individual collicular cells are extremely non-linear. On a cell population basis, however, a linear Fourier analysis on grating response predicts the collicular cells' preference for movement of small objects.

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Citation Excerpt :
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Although the rat is widely used in neurobehavioural research, the spatio-temporal receptive field properties of neurons in superficial layers of the superior colliculus are relatively unknown. Extracellular recordings were carried out in anesthetized Long Evans rats. Neurons in these layers had simple-like and complex-like receptive fields (RFs). Most cells (67%) had RFs showing band-pass and low-pass spatial frequency (SF) tuning profiles. Spatial band-pass profiles showed low optimal SF (mean = 0.03 c/deg), low spatial resolution (mean = 0.18 c/deg) and large spatial bandwidths (mean = 2.3 octaves). More than two-thirds of the RFs (71%) were selective to orientation and only 11% were clearly direction selective. Nearly two-thirds of cells (68%) had band-pass temporal frequency (TF) tuning profiles with narrow bandwidths (mean = 1.7 oct.) whereas the others showed low-pass TF tuning profiles. Temporal band-pass profiles had low optimal TFs (mean = 3.5 c/s). Although some cells showed relatively low contrast thresholds (6%), most cells only responded to high contrast values (mean = 38.2%). These results show that the spatial resolution of collicular cells is poor and that they respond mainly to highly contrasted moving stimuli.
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^**: Present address: Department of Psychology, University of Durham, Durham, U.K.

View full text

Temporal and spatial response characteristics of the cat superior colliculus

Abstract

Vision Res.

Brain Research

Vision Res.

Brain Research

Sustained and transient neurones in the cat's retina and lateral geniculate nucleus

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

Visual resolution and receptive field size: examination of two kinds of cat retinal ganglion cell

Science

Receptive field organization of monkey superior colliculus

J. Neurophysiol.

Recovery of function in cat visual cortex following prolonged deprivation

Exp. Brain Res.

Properties of excitatory and inhibitory regions in the receptive fields of single units in the cat's superior colliculus

Exp. Brain Res.

Theorie Analytique de Chaleur

Retinal distribution and central projections of Y-, X-, and W-cells of the cat's retina

J. Neurophysiol.

Interralationships of striate and extrastriate cortex with the primary relay sites of the visual pathway

J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat.

Introduction to Fourier Optics

The superior colliculus and movements of the eyes and head in cats

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

Motorische funktion des tektal- und tegmental-gebietes

Mschr. Psychiat. Neurol.

Linear and nonlinear spatial subunits in Y cat retinal ganglion cells

J. Physiol. (Lond.)