Quantitative analysis of retinal ganglion cell classifications.

The classification of cat retinal ganglion cells as X or Y on the basis of linearity or nonlinearity of spatial summation has been confirmed and extended. Recordings were taken from optic tract fibres of anaesthetized, paralysed cats. 2. When an alternating phase sine wave grating was used as a stimulus, X cells had null positions and Y cells responded at all positions of the grating. 3. These results did not depend on the temporal wave form or the temporal frequency of pattern alternation over a wide range. 4. At high spatial frequencies for the particular cell, a Y cell gave abig 'on‐off' response, or frequency doubling, at all positions of the grating, while an X cell did not. 5. The use of contrast sensitivity versus spatial phase also served to differentiate the two cell types. With an alternating sine grating stimulus X cells had a sinusoidal dependence on spatial phase, while each Y cell's sensitivity depended in a complicated manner on spatial phase. 6. Sensitivity versus spatial phase for different Fourier components of the neural response also separated the two classes of cells. Significant second harmonic distortion was present in Y cells. The second harmonic component was spatial phase insensitive, and became dominant at high spatial frequencies. 7. The maximum of the 2nd/1st harmonic ratio was taken as an index of nonlinearity. X cells always had a nonlinearity index less than 1 while in Y cells this index always exceeded 1. 8. Response to spots, diffuse light and drifting gratings were compared to the nonlinearity index as a basis for classifying cells. The nonlinearity index was most reliable because it was least dependent on retinal eccentricity.

[1]  W S Duke-Elder,et al.  THE STRUCTURE OF THE RETINA , 1926, The British journal of ophthalmology.

[2]  S. W. Kuffler.  Discharge patterns and functional organization of mammalian retina. , 1953, Journal of neurophysiology.

[3]  O. Schade.  Optical and photoelectric analog of the eye. , 1956, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[4]  R. W. Rodieck.  Quantitative analysis of cat retinal ganglion cell response to visual stimuli. , 1965, Vision research.

[5]  R. W. Rodieck,et al.  Analysis of receptive fields of cat retinal ganglion cells. , 1965, Journal of neurophysiology.

[6]  C. Enroth-Cugell,et al.  The contrast sensitivity of retinal ganglion cells of the cat , 1966, The Journal of physiology.

[7]  B. Katz,et al.  A study of synaptic transmission in the absence of nerve impulses , 1967, The Journal of physiology.

[8]  P. O. Bishop,et al.  Residual eye movements in receptive-field studies of paralyzed cats. , 1967, Vision research.

[9]  Y. Fukada,et al.  Receptive field organization of cat optic nerve fibers with special reference to conduction velocity. , 1971, Vision research.

[10]  W. Levick,et al.  Sustained and transient neurones in the cat's retina and lateral geniculate nucleus , 1971, The Journal of physiology.

[11]  J. Stone,et al.  Conduction velocity as a parameter in the organisation of the afferent relay in the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus. , 1971, Brain research.

[12]  R Fernald,et al.  An improved method for plotting retinal landmarks and focusing the eyes. , 1971, Vision research.

[13]  E G Shkolnik-Yarros,et al.  Neurons of the cat's retina. , 1971, Vision research.

[14]  H Ikeda,et al.  Receptive field organization of ‘sustained’ and ‘transient’ retinal ganglion cells which subserve different functional roles , 1972, The Journal of physiology.

[15]  J. Stone,et al.  Relay of receptive-field properties in dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat. , 1972, Journal of neurophysiology.

[16]  S. Cajal,et al.  The Structure of the Retina , 1972 .

[17]  M. Yoon,et al.  Influence of adaptation level on response pattern and sensitivity of ganglion cells in the cat's retina , 1972, The Journal of physiology.

[18]  W. Levick,et al.  Properties of sustained and transient ganglion cells in the cat retina , 1973, The Journal of physiology.

[19]  C. Enroth-Cugell,et al.  Flux, not retinal illumination, is what cat retinal ganglion cells really care about , 1973, The Journal of physiology.

[20]  C. Enroth-Cugell,et al.  Adaptation and dynamics of cat retinal ganglion cells , 1973, The Journal of physiology.

[21]  B. Boycott,et al.  The morphological types of ganglion cells of the domestic cat's retina , 1974, The Journal of physiology.

[22]  W. Levick,et al.  Brisk and sluggish concentrically organized ganglion cells in the cat's retina , 1974, The Journal of physiology.

[23]  ROBERT SHAPLEY,et al.  Visual spatial summation in two classes of geniculate cells , 1975, Nature.

[24]  W. R. Levick,et al.  Form and function of cat retinal ganglion cells , 1975, Nature.

[25]  H. Wässle,et al.  The distribution of the alpha type of ganglion cells in the cat's retina , 1975, The Journal of comparative neurology.

[26]  Robert Shapley,et al.  An electronic visual stimulator , 1976 .

[27]  R. Shapley,et al.  Linear and nonlinear spatial subunits in Y cat retinal ganglion cells. , 1976, The Journal of physiology.