Skip to main content
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1974 Aug;241(1):201–210. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1974.sp010649

Behavioural contrast sensitivity of the cat in various visual meridians

S Bisti, L Maffei
PMCID: PMC1331081  PMID: 4425345

Abstract

1. The contrast sensitivity of the cat as a function of the spatial frequency of the visual stimulus was determined by using behavioural techniques.

2. No statistically significant difference was found for the contrast sensitivity thresholds at various orientations of the stimulus.

3. A comparison of the contrast sensitivity curve of the cat with that of the human shows that the two species have rather different characteristics of visual spatial resolution.

Full text

PDF
206

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Berkley M. A., Watkins D. W. Grating resolution and refraction in the cat estimated from evoked cerebral potentials. Vision Res. 1973 Feb;13(2):403–415. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(73)90117-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blakemore C., Cooper G. F. Development of the brain depends on the visual environment. Nature. 1970 Oct 31;228(5270):477–478. doi: 10.1038/228477a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bonds A. B., Enroth-Cugell C., Pinto L. H. Image quality of the cat eye measured during retinal ganglion cell experiments. J Physiol. 1972 Jan;220(2):383–401. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1972.sp009713. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Campbell F. W., Green D. G. Optical and retinal factors affecting visual resolution. J Physiol. 1965 Dec;181(3):576–593. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1965.sp007784. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Campbell F. W., Kulikowski J. J., Levinson J. The effect of orientation on the visual resolution of gratings. J Physiol. 1966 Nov;187(2):427–436. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp008100. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Campbell F. W., Kulikowski J. J. Orientational selectivity of the human visual system. J Physiol. 1966 Nov;187(2):437–445. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp008101. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Campbell F. W., Maffei L. Electrophysiological evidence for the existence of orientation and size detectors in the human visual system. J Physiol. 1970 May;207(3):635–652. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009085. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Campbell F. W., Maffei L., Piccolino M. The contrast sensitivity of the cat. J Physiol. 1973 Mar;229(3):719–731. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1973.sp010163. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hirsch H. V., Spinelli D. N. Modification of the distribution of receptive field orientation in cats by selective visual exposure during development. Exp Brain Res. 1971 Jun 29;12(5):509–527. doi: 10.1007/BF00234246. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hirsch H. V., Spinelli D. N. Visual experience modifies distribution of horizontally and vertically oriented receptive fields in cats. Science. 1970 May 15;168(3933):869–871. doi: 10.1126/science.168.3933.869. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hirsch H. V. Visual perception in cats after environmental surgery. Exp Brain Res. 1972;15(4):405–423. doi: 10.1007/BF00234126. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Maffei L., Campbell F. W. Neurophysiological localization of the vertical and horizontal visual coordinates in man. Science. 1970 Jan 23;167(3917):386–387. doi: 10.1126/science.167.3917.386. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Muir D. W., Mitchell D. E. Visual resolution and experience: acuity deficits in cats following early selective visual deprivation. Science. 1973 Apr 27;180(4084):420–422. doi: 10.1126/science.180.4084.420. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Pettigrew J. D., Nikara T., Bishop P. O. Responses to moving slits by single units in cat striate cortex. Exp Brain Res. 1968;6(4):373–390. doi: 10.1007/BF00233185. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Wässle H., Creutzfeldt O. D. Spatial resolution in visual system: a theoretical and experimental study on single units in the cat's lateral geniculate body. J Neurophysiol. 1973 Jan;36(1):13–27. doi: 10.1152/jn.1973.36.1.13. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Wässle H. Optical quality of the cat eye. Vision Res. 1971 Sep;11(9):995–1006. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(71)90219-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES