Document Detail


Analysis of direction-tuning curves of neurons in the turtle's accessory optic system.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  9746142     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Visual-movement sensitivity of neurons in the turtle's accessory optic system was investigated. Neuronal responses to stimulus direction and speed were analyzed to determine whether they reflect processing by a one-dimensional encoder of visual motion or whether they indicate directional integration of presynaptic direction-sensitive responses whose maximal-response directions are distributed. Both of these mechanisms make predictions about the functional relationship between stimulus direction and response. The responses of single units in the basal optic nucleus to visual stimulation in different directions were described by both cosine and wrapped normal fitting functions. The wrapped normal function (a Gaussian curve mapped onto a circle) performed at least as well as the cosine function and described directional tuning curves of varying widths. Unlike cosines, the addition of two wrapped normals could describe multi-lobed directional data. Next, it was demonstrated that these neurons did not encode visual motion projected onto a single, spatial axis. Responses to the projected speed along the maximal-response direction were systematically lower than responses to the actual speed along that direction. Thus, for speeds above 1 degrees/s, neuronal response varies with respect to direction but not speed. Summation of presynaptic direction-sensitive responses with distributed maximal-response directions (referred to as directional integration) is discussed as a means of accounting for these results.
Authors:
A F Rosenberg; M Ariel
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Experimental brain research. Experimentelle Hirnforschung. Expérimentation cérébrale     Volume:  121     ISSN:  0014-4819     ISO Abbreviation:  Exp Brain Res     Publication Date:  1998 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1998-11-23     Completed Date:  1998-11-23     Revised Date:  2009-11-11    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0043312     Medline TA:  Exp Brain Res     Country:  GERMANY    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  361-70     Citation Subset:  IM; S    
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Motion Perception / physiology*
Neurons, Afferent / physiology*
Organ Culture Techniques
Photic Stimulation
Reaction Time / physiology
Turtles / physiology*
Visual Fields / physiology
Visual Pathways / cytology*,  physiology*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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