Electrophysiological evidence for spatial frequency selective mechanisms in adults and infants

Abstract VEP in response to a grating reversed in phase at 7 Hz have been recorded in the presence of a masking grating reversed in phase at a different rate. In adults VEP responses are depressed by a masking grating, either optically superimposed or viewed dichoptically, and the masking effects are spatial frequency selective. Spatial frequency tuning of masking effects on VEP has also been found in infants of 6 and 14 weeks of age. tested at 0.3 and 1 c/deg, respectively. The infant tuning functions have a steeper low-frequency attenuation than adult's functions at the corresponding spatial frequencies and are more similar to those obtained in the adult at higher spatial frequencies.

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