Hemispheric symmetry in contrast and orientation sensitivity

This experiment was designed to determine whether there were hemispheric and/or hemiretinal (nasal/temporal) differences in contrast sensitivity and the oblique effect. Contrast sensitivity functions were measured in the left and right eyes for vertically (90°) and obliquely (45°) oriented sinusoidal gratings presented in the right and left visual fields. There were no hemispheric differences in contrast sensitivity for vertically or obliquely oriented gratings. However, sensitivity was lower for obliquely oriented gratings. Thus, the cerebral hemispheres do not appear to differ in sensitivity to contrast or in the magnitude of the oblique effect. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of the role of spatial frequency channels in information processing asymmetries between the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

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